The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was thrown into another major crisis last week following the emergence of two factions in the party’s National Working Committee (NWC), with one suspending the acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, and the National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu, for alleged anti-party activities.
The same week, the former Senate Chief Whip, Ali Ndume, expressed concerns about the military capabilities in the fight against the Boko Haram extremists and bandits terrorising the Northern part of the country.
These and three other stories we tracked dominated public discourse in Nigeria during the period.
1. PDP’s fresh leadership crisis
On October 11, Nigeria’s biggest opposition party was rocked by a fresh crisis earlier following the emergence of two factions with each issuing separate statements suspending key officers of the party.
The PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, in a statement, announced the suspension of Damagum, and Anyanwu for alleged anti-party activities.
He later announced Alhaji Yayari Mohammed as the party’s new acting National Chairman.
Another faction of the NWC loyal to Damagum thereafter announced the suspension of the National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade, and Ologunagba for alleged disloyalty to the party.
“The NWC, pursuant to Sections 57, 58, and 59 of the PDP Constitution, has suspended Amb. Illiya Damagum and Sen. Samuel Anyanwu as Acting National Chairman and National Secretary of the Party respectively and referred them to the National Disciplinary Committee for further action,” the statement by Ologunagba read.
Why it matters
The latest crisis in PDP is an indication of a party in total disarray with in-fighting and back-stabbing becoming regular occurrences in a party that once prided itself as Africa’s biggest.
The PDP seems to be in a quandary on how to resolve the various issues that have risen in the aftermath of the 2022 presidential primaries and general elections the following year.
The days ahead will, therefore, prove if the Board of Trustees (BoT) intervention will harmonize all dissenting voices and steady the ship in readiness for another shot at the presidency in 2027.
2. Ndume’s verdict on Nigeria’s military
The former Senate Chief Whip, Ali Ndume, on October 10 expressed concerns about the military capabilities in the fight against the Boko Haram extremists and bandits terrorising the Northern part of the country.
Ndume, who addressed journalists in Maiduguri, Borno State, said the military was ill-equipped to address the ongoing crisis.
The lawmaker also recalled a distressing journey on October 8, saying: “On our way, we received a distress call that some Cameroonian soldiers and motorists were ambushed along the Pulka-Kirawa road.
“The target was not me, but rather the person they killed, including an unidentified woman. Although I was told that other passengers were victims of the ambush.”
Why it matters
The lawmaker’s remark has reopened discussions on how funds earmarked for the procurement of military equipment ended in private pockets leaving the problem of insecurity largely unresolved.
It also illustrates how corruption continues to undermine Nigeria’s ongoing battle with insurgent groups with few individuals profiting from the crisis in the Northern part of the country.
3. Wike and Fubara trade blame on Rivers crisis
The duo of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, and the Rivers State Governor, Siminilaye Fubara, had major exchanges on the political crisis in the state.
Wike had in a programme on Channels Television on October 8 blamed Fubara for the crisis in the state.
The governor had the previous day appealed to him to allow peace to reign in the oil-rich state.
“I was a governor, I have always obeyed the rule of law. You heard the governor say that our state is turning into a state of anarchy where people do not obey the rule of law.
“You must obey the judgment of the court. You must not take the law into your own hands. The moment you don’t obey court judgment, you are inviting anarchy, you are inviting violence,” the FCT minister stated at the programme.
Why it matters
The exchanges between the two men suggest the protracted crisis in Rivers State will continue to defy solutions because of some individuals’ craving for power and control of state resources.
There are signs that peace may continue to elude the state unless all actors at the centre of the crisis decide to sheathe their swords to give the state and its people a new lease of life.
Anything short of this will require a tough measure, including an Executive Order by the president to whip the warring parties into line in the interest of the state.
4. Health workers issue fresh strike notice
The Joint Health Sector Unions and Assembly of Healthcare Professionals (JOHESU) on October 10 issued a 15-day strike notice to the Federal Government over unresolved demands.
In a memo sent to Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, JOHESU threatened to resume its suspended strike on October 25 if the government failed to meet the demands.
The union’s demands include the immediate payment of arrears related to the CONHESS review, tax waivers on healthcare workers’ allowances, and COVID-19 hazard allowances to health workers, among others.
The memo read: “Honourable Minister Sir, you will agree with us that JOHESU has always exhibited maturity, selflessness, and patriotism even in the face of extreme provocations and the government’s long delay in meeting these demands of workers under JOHESU. We think that our maturity and patriotism have been taken for granted.”
“This 15-day ultimatum is necessitated by the non-response of the Federal Government to the plight of our members, despite our benevolence.”
Why it matters
The latest strike notice by the health workers exposes the hypocrisy of the government on its much-vaunted commitment to health care delivery as the media is always awash with stories of government officials hopping on the next flight abroad in search of cures for all forms of ailment.
Also, the use of strikes by trade unions to force the hand of the government suggests their lack of trust in the administration to stand by its promises.
5. Bandits kill abducted village head
Suspected bandits on October 8 killed the abducted District Head of Kanya in Kebbi State, Alhaji Isah Daya.
The district head was abducted alongside eight others in the Kanya District of the Danko/Wasagu local government area of the state on October 6.
The spokesman for the state police command, Nafi’u Abubakar, confirmed the killing in a statement in Birnin Kebbi.
Abubakar said: “Acting on credible intelligence and given the determination and resilience of the combined team of policemen, military, and members of vigilante, eight victims of the kidnapping incident have successfully been rescued.
“Regrettably, while the search and rescue operation was ongoing, the dead body of the district head of Kanya, Alhaji Isah Daya was found in the forest.”
Why it matters
The killing of the monarch again illustrates the current perilous state of Nigeria where the terrorists have been emboldened by the government’s helplessness in the face of their atrocities against the state.
The killing of the village head and others across the country has therefore reinforced the calls for a sustained effort to contain the criminals who are on the prowl or the country may well brace for total anarchy and rapid descent into a failed state.