PDP Acting Chairman Inaugurates New BoT, Blames Past Leadership For Party’s Decline
•By Admin
ABUJA – THE Acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Abdulrahman Muhammad, yesterday in Abuja drew a sharp line between the party’s troubled past and what he called “a new era of moral renewal and institutional discipline.”
Speaking during the inauguration of the party’s newly constituted Board of Trustees (BoT) on Friday in Abuja, Muhammad referenced the leadership crisis that engulfed the previous board led by Senator Adolphus Wabara, noting that its credibility had been compromised following Wabara’s suspension by the Abia State chapter of the party over alleged anti-party activities.
Describing the development as “a painful but necessary step,” Muhammad said the loss of moral authority by the former BoT marked a low point in the PDP’s history and made it imperative for the party to rebuild from the ground up.
“The Board that was meant to be the moral compass of our party became divided and ineffective,” he declared. “This vacuum of moral guidance was further compounded by the actions of the then suspended National Chairman, Ambassador Umar Damagum, whose leadership regrettably chose convenience over the constitution and personal loyalty over the rule of law.”
The Acting Chairman accused the former leadership of ignoring valid court judgments and shielding individuals who had violated party rules, saying such practices pushed the PDP “to a point of deep internal disillusionment.”
Muhammad maintained that the recent judgment of the Federal High Court, which paved the way for the reconstitution of the BoT, should not be seen as an attack on the PDP but rather as a wake-up call to restore sanity and order within its ranks.
“The court judgment was not an assault on the PDP; it was a reminder that no institution is greater than the law,” he said. “It was a call to return to our roots, to restore order, and to reawaken the values that once made the PDP the pride of Africa.”
He lauded what he described as the “courage and patriotism” of three senior members of the party who sought judicial redress to save the PDP from internal collapse.
“Their action was not driven by anger or ambition but by conscience,” he noted, quoting them as saying: ‘We acted not to destroy, but to redeem; not to divide, but to heal.’
Muhammad said the newly inaugurated BoT represents “a symbol of rebirth” and the party’s collective resolve to restore its moral authority.
“To the new members of the Board, this is not a reward for loyalty; it is a sacred trust,” he charged. “Your responsibility is enormous to speak truth to power, defend justice, and ensure that the PDP remains a home for all Nigerians.”
He described the BoT as the “conscience and compass of the party,” urging members to exercise fairness and courage in guiding the leadership.
“Your advice must be rooted in integrity, and your actions must inspire confidence in our collective future,” he said.
Reflecting on the PDP’s internal decline, Muhammad said the decay the party is correcting today did not begin recently but was triggered years ago when it abandoned its zoning principle ahead of the 2015 elections.
“It began when we allowed ambition to override equity, and when we ignored the cries of reason from within our own ranks,” he stated. “The consequences of those decisions still haunt us today.”
He assured members that the new leadership is committed to transparency, discipline, and constitutional order.
“Under this new leadership, the PDP will never again be held hostage by impunity, manipulation, or disregard for its own constitution,” Muhammad vowed. “We will rebuild this party with transparency, respect court judgments, conduct our congresses with fairness, and restore public trust.”
He added that the PDP could no longer hide under the pretext of “internal affairs” to justify lawlessness, saying party autonomy must operate within the bounds of constitutional order.
“We must reform or risk irrelevance,” he warned. “Internal affairs must still operate under constitutional order. Party autonomy cannot mean lawlessness.”
In a passionate closing, Muhammad called for reconciliation and unity among party members, urging them to rise above personal ambition and work towards rebuilding the PDP’s lost moral foundation.
“Let history record that when the PDP stood at the edge of the precipice, men and women of goodwill rose to pull it back,” he said. “Let it be written that we chose reform over rebellion, truth over silence, and principle over politics.”
•INDEPENDENTNG.