Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has returned to Nigeria in anticipation of the highly-awaited National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Atiku, who had been abroad for several weeks, arrived in the early hours of Tuesday.
The National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP, led by Ambassador Illiya Damagum, succumbed to pressure and scheduled the NEC meeting for April 18, following over a year of refusal to convene it. According to the party’s constitution, the NEC, as the second most influential decision-making body after the national convention, is mandated to meet quarterly.
Sources indicate that the forthcoming NEC meeting is poised to be pivotal for the party’s future. Atiku, considered the de facto leader of the party due to his role as the presidential candidate in the previous elections, is expected to lead preparatory meetings ahead of the NEC gathering.
This development occurs amidst growing concerns over the party’s perceived mismanagement and allegations of external control, as voiced by former Benue State governor, Senator Gabriel Suswam. Additionally, the North Central zone has called for Damagum to step down from the acting national chairmanship position and allow the emergence of a substantive national chairman from the region, in line with the party’s zoning arrangement in 2021.
It is noteworthy that former Senate President Senator Iyorchia Ayu, from Benue State (North Central), assumed the role of national chairman at the party’s previous convention. However, Damagum, the deputy national chairman (North) from Yobe State (North East), assumed the acting national chairman position in 2023 following a court order removing Ayu from office.
Recall that some governors and party stalwarts openly opposed Atiku’s candidacy in the 2023 PDP presidential race and recently reiterated their support for President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
