The acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ambassador Umar Ilya Damagum, has taken a swipe at party members who recently defected to other political platforms, blaming their actions on personal ambition rather than sound political reasoning.
Speaking on Thursday during the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT) meeting in Abuja, Damagum said some defections were driven by selfish motives that ignored the party’s collective interest.
“When ambition clouds reason, there’s a problem,” he told party leaders. “It’s sad to see people walk away at this critical time.”
The meeting, held at the PDP national secretariat, also saw calls for discipline and restraint from senior party figures, including former Kaduna State Governor and BoT Secretary, Senator Ahmed Makarfi. He urged members to avoid inflammatory remarks, especially in public, and to distinguish personal opinions from the party’s official stance.
“Some members cannot be rebuilding the party while others are busy de-marketing it,” Makarfi said.
Despite the recent wave of defections, Damagum expressed confidence in the PDP’s internal repositioning ahead of its next national convention, describing Wednesday night’s National Caucus meeting as “peaceful and encouraging.”
“A new era has come for us,” he said. “There were no contending voices during the caucus meeting — that’s the beauty of our growth.”
Makarfi, who delivered the BoT Chairman’s address in place of Senator Adolphus Wabara, also hinted that the door remains open for returnees.
“Some of our associates may have left, but I don’t believe it’s permanent. The success of our reforms can bring them back and attract new members too.”
