The former Vice President and People’s Democratic Party 2023 presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar’s 2027 presidential ambition has run into political rough weather as his home state dumped him for Umar Damangum, the embattled acting national chairman of the party.
Arewa PUNCH reports that while Atiku is against the choice of a North-East candidate to occupy the seat of the national chairman of the party, his Adamawa State PDP has favoured the North-East to produce a candidate for the party.
Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday in Yola, the state chairman of PDP, Abubakar Shehu, said that the state chapter of the party is solidly behind Damangun for the office of the national chairman.
“The Constitution of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) clearly states the position of the existing vacancy. Section 47(6) states this:”
“Where a vacancy occurs in any of the offices of the party, the Executive Committee at the appropriate level shall appoint another person from the area or zone where the officer originated from to serve out the tenure of the officer.”
Shehu pointed out that based on the constitutional provisions of the party, and the Adamawa State chapter supports the position of Adamawa State Governor Ahmadu Fintiri and other PDP governors for endorsing Damangun to serve out the tenure of ousted Dr Iyorchia Ayu.
He added, “The former national chairman is from the North- East. Therefore, Sen. Umar IIiya Damangun, the deputy national chairman of the northern zone, is most qualified to serve out the tenure of the former national chairman.”
Arewa PUNCH’s investigations revealed that the PDP group under Nyesome Wike’s plan is to shut the presidential door against the former vice president to perfect the easy return of President Bola Tinubu in 2027.
Further investigations confirmed that Damangun occupying the national chairman office it will weaken Atiku’s political structures in the party before the National Convention of the PDP, which will pick new leaders for the party. (Punch)
