Kola Ologbondiyan, a prominent figure in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has urged Umar Damagum, the acting National Chairman, to return to his role as Deputy National Chairman (North) to facilitate genuine reconciliation within the party.
Ologbondiyan, who previously served as the PDP’s National Publicity Secretary and was the spokesperson for the Atiku/Okowa Presidential Campaign, told Daily Trust that reconciliation cannot occur without addressing the grievances of the North Central zone.
He emphasized that this zone has been overlooked in the selection of the National Chairman following Dr. Iyorchia Ayu’s suspension.
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He suggested that the acting Chairman should step back into his former role, allowing North Central to have the opportunity to elect the National Chairman. Ologbondiyan also recommended that Damagum appear before the Olagunsoye Oyinlola committee to aid in the reconciliation process within the party.
He said: “The reconciliation committee headed by former Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola must be courageous enough to tell Damagum that his position is that of Deputy National Chairman North and that nobody is saying that he must be removed from that position.
“But there can only be reconciliation and for reconciliation to endure there must be justice and that justice is to allow the North Central to produce a successor to Dr Iyorchia Ayu.
“Reconciliation is a welcome development but it must start from the office of the National Chairman, that is where it should begin from because you cannot say you want to reconcile and come out with a swat for your perceived enemy. At a time you are talking of reconciliation. It means that himself needs to be reconciled.”
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He also said the disciplinary committee is a welcome development, but members of the party are raising concern about the letter written by the National Chairman and the secretary in respect of the issue in Rivers State, adding that “even that speaks to the issue of discipline.”
Ologbondiyan said, ” The committees are good, but since Damagum himself have these issues around him, he should also present himself before the committee. At the inauguration he hinted about his perceived enemies, so he needs to be reconciled. But mind you he is supposed to be the leader of the party, who is not supposed to take side on any issue, but unfortunately he said nobody can intimidate him it means he has perceived enemies.
“If the party that he is the acting Chairman has consistently said that those who left the party has vacated their seats and the Chairman and secretary wrote to the court to take a side between two members of the party. It means he has taken side.”
