Many sources within the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have told Saturday Telegraph that a former President of the Senate, David Mark, is set to emerge as the new national chairman of the party......Read The Full Article>>.....Read The Full Article>>
Those who spoke on the development maintained that the decision to draft him is to allow the North Central zone to complete its tenure in the aftermath of the ouster of the former substantive chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, who incidentally is a former Senate President like Mark.
The other main reason for drafting the Idoma-born former soldier is also to help stabilise the PDP which is currently embroiled in crisis occasioned by the continued stay of the acting National Chairman, Ambassador Umar Damagum, in office.
North Central members have been up in arms against the leadership of the party, insisting that Damagum should vacate the office for one of them to complete their term in office.
Damagun came into office when a state High Court, sitting in Makurdi, the Benue State capital, had on October 2nd, 2023, sacked Ayu from office and he has been in office since then.
He (Damagum) has been in the eyes of the storm with suspension and counter-suspension within the party, leading to the emergence of factional leadership between the embattled acting Chairman and the Treasurer, Yayari Mohammed.
However, after its meeting in Abuja, Damagum’s suspension and the counter-suspension issued by feuding factions of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC), were nullified by members of the PDP Governors’ Forum who asked that status quo be maintained within the party.
Chairman of the forum, who is also the governor of Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed, made the announcement at the end of a two-day meeting.
A former Minister of the FCT who pleaded not to be named confirmed the development to Saturday Telegraph, saying Senator Mark “has not fully yielded to the pressure.”
She maintained that representations had been made to the Idoma-born ex-General by his colleagues whom she referred to as “our elders.”
“I know that the PDP governors met during the week and it was resolved that Senator David Mark should be the next national chairman of the PDP and that they have been making concrete efforts at bringing it to fruition. They have met with Senator Mark but I know that he is yet to yield to their demand,” the source said.
The source maintained that other elements rooting for the emergence of Mark who was also at a time the military governor of Niger State during the regime of former Military President, General Ibrahim Babangida, are retired Generals who are believed to be sympathetic to the PDP.
“I can tell you that Senator Mark is being supported by retired Generals in the PDP who have secured his assurances that he will eventually take up the mantle. I know for sure that they (the former Generals) have approached him collectively and individually,” the source maintained.
When asked to name the former Generals pushing for Mark’s emergence, she said, “that will be difficult but I know that a lot of them have been working clandestinely in recent times.”
Another source who also pleaded not to be named said pressure is being mounted on Damagum to revert to his former status as the deputy national chairman (North) to pave the way for the emergence of Senator Mark.
Those who spoke with our correspondent stated that as a follow up to the meeting, the Plateau State Governor, Caleb Muftwang, has been mandated to convene a meeting of the stakeholders of the party in North Central to ratify Senator Mark’s candidature.
“Governor Mutfwang has been told to host the meeting of North Central stakeholders of the party in Jos next week where Mark’s candidature as the new chairman of the party will be ratified,” the source said, adding that the former Senate President would have to contend with two others for the office.
The other two contesters for the post include former Governor Gabriel Suswam of Benue State and the Director-General of the PDP Governors’ Forum, Mr. Immanuel Agbo, who are also showing interest in the job.
“Though the meeting will eventually ratify Mark, it will also consider the aspirations of former Governor of Benue Suswan and the DG of the PDP’s Governors Forum, Mr. Agbo, who have also shown interest in the job but I can tell you that Mark’s bid seems bigger than the two others,” the source maintained.
When contacted on phone on Friday, a chieftain of the party, Otunba Segun Sowunmi confirmed the development to our correspondent, saying however, it will be too early to make any comment on it.
“I know that some people are making efforts in that direction but until then, we will wait until that happens,” Sowunmi said
