The PDP Frontiers for Change and Progress (PFCP) has strongly condemned the Acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Amb. Umar Damagum, for allegedly orchestrating a media smear campaign against the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT) Chairman, Senator Adolphus Wabara.
In a statement, the group accused Damagum of attempting to blackmail Wabara following his candid remarks during the PDP’s emergency meeting on December 5, 2024, at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja.
Wabara had expressed frustration with the repeated delays of the PDP’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, which had been rescheduled multiple times, including a third postponement from its original date of November 28, 2024.
Wabara had voiced his concerns, saying, “It is with a deep sense of disappointment that I must express the BoT’s dismay at the continued shifting by the National Working Committee (NWC) in convening a National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting. This delay undermines the trust and confidence of our members and weakens the unity and democratic processes that are the foundation of our party.”
Following his statements, a media report accused Wabara of insensitivity, suggesting that the postponement of the NEC meeting was to allow members to attend the funeral of the late First Lady of Akwa Ibom State.
The report also claimed that Wabara was working against PDP’s interests and supporting the Labour Party.
Emeka-Yellow Ikpegbu, the convener of PFCP, responded, defending Wabara’s comments as truthful and reflective of the sentiments of many within the party.
He described the media attacks as “cheap blackmail” aimed at undermining Wabara and weakening the PDP.
Ikpegbu also accused the Damagum-led National Working Committee (NWC) of trying to silence Wabara and suggested that Damagum’s actions were motivated by personal ambitions that may be aligned with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
He questioned the leadership’s commitment to strengthening the party, saying, “How can he keep postponing the NEC meeting and assume everyone will remain silent? Is the PDP under his watch truly playing the role of an opposition party?”
Further, Ikpegbu criticized Damagum’s leadership for exacerbating internal conflicts within state chapters and failing to adhere to due process.
He praised Senator Wabara and other party elders who were committed to restoring the PDP’s strength.
“We assure Damagum that PDP members will not watch their party—the only beacon of hope for the country—be hijacked by political merchants,” Ikpegbu said, urging the NWC to resolve internal disputes and focus on rebuilding the party’s future.
The group called on all PDP members to resist attempts to derail the party’s progress and emphasized the need for a united front to reclaim the party’s former status as a leading force in Nigerian politics.
