Ahead of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), agitation for Ambassador Umar Iliya Damagum removal as the acting PDP national chairman took a notch as a chairmanship aspirant, Engineer Conrad Utaan, has insisted that Benue State must occupy the position as zoned by the party.
Utaan, who told journalists about his ambition, lamented that the North Central region, particularly Benue State, has been sidelined in the leadership equation within the PDP.
He expressed concerns about the party’s zoning arrangements, stating that its constitution does not support one zone holding both the national chairman and deputy national chairman positions simultaneously.
The move by Utaan, former House of Representatives aspirant, adds to the opposition to Damagum’s continued stay as chairman, reviving a months-long struggle for the soul of the party.
The chairmanship aspirant, who holds double degrees in Public Administration, said Damagum cannot occupy both the substantive post of national deputy chairman (North) and the acting national chairmanship post at the same time.
He pointed out that it is inappropriate for the party’s Acting National Chairman, Amb. Umar Damagum, from the North East, to continue holding both the positions of National Chairman and Deputy National Chairman (North).
“Now, a vacancy has arisen for the National Chairman, and it’s been like this for over a year. Section 47(6) of our constitution clearly states that if a vacancy occurs, the party must appoint a replacement from the zone where the vacancy originated,” Utaan said.
Utaan, who recalled the crisis that led to the removal of the Benue State-born former PDP chairman, Dr Iyorchia Ayu, said Ayu’s suspension by his ward ignited confusion regarding his chairmanship, with members divided on whether he was still in charge.
According to him, “His (Iyorchia Ayu’s) ward executive passed a vote of no confidence on him and suspended him from the party. The reason they had was that he was owing party dues for two years. There was a lot of confusion… until I approached the court for an interpretation of our constitution”
The court, it will be recalled, later ruled that Ayu could be suspended by his ward as a member of the party, thereby disqualifying him from serving as chairman.
Utaan, who said unity and reconciliation of all aggrieved members of the PDP will be his primary focus, is making a case for the position to return to the North Central Zone, particularly Benue State, specifically Zone B, where he is, for now, the only aspirant presenting himself for the post.
Utaan argued that PDP’s internal zoning arrangements, as outlined in Section 47(6) of the party’s constitution, dictate that a vacancy in the national chairmanship position should be filled by a candidate from the same region as the previous chairman.
He recalled that other zones in the state had already produced National Chairman of the PDP in Chief Barnabas Gemande, Chief Audu Ogbe, and Senator Ayu.
According to him, “We naturally expect that the national chairman was zoned and micro-zoned. It wasn’t for all of Nigeria. It was for North Central. It wasn’t for all of North Central. It was for Benue. It wasn’t for all of Benue; it was for Benue, Northwest Central District, Zone B.
“And as it stands today, I am the only person aspiring from Benue North West Zone B in Benue State; there’s nobody from Zone C. The only other person running is former governor Gabriel Suswam, who is from zone A, where Gemade was national chairman.
“So, I should naturally be on the post in this race. I should not be running against somebody else from Zone A because they did not throw the national chairman open.”
“We in the North Central discovered that Damagum was becoming more or less a substantive chairman. And nobody was saying anything,” Utaan further said.
Utaan, who is 47 years of age, pointed out that the North East, from which Damagum hails, already holds the position of Deputy National Chairman, making it unconstitutional for the region to hold both posts simultaneously.
His words, “North East cannot have both the Deputy National Chairman and National Chairman at the same time, while North Central is left with nothing,”.
He insisted that the National Chairmanship position needs to be returned to the North Central zone as was done in previous instances when other regions held key party positions.
Utaan emphatically declared that as someone who was neither a former governor nor a former national assembly member, he had no baggage.
He claimed that his lack of previous high-profile political roles should be seen as an advantage, arguing that his fresh perspective and untainted history make him the ideal candidate to unify and rebuild the party.
Utaan further stated that his youth would resonate with Nigeria’s younger voting demographic, which makes up more than 70% of the electorate.
“I do not come with the encumbrance of the baggage that people who have been former this and former that carry. I am not encumbered by ego. Our party, right now, requires peace and reconciliation,” Utaan remarked.
Utaan called for fresh energy and new ideas to lead the PDP back to national prominence after years of internal conflicts and electoral losses.
According to him, “The arrogance of power still permeates the leadership of this party,” Utaan said, adding, “Somebody needs to come to the table with new ideas, fresh energy, and humility to reach out to leaders and unify this party.”
Continuing, Engineer Utaan said, “The law made him (Damagum) National Chairman, and immediately the North Central nominates a replacement for Iyorchia Ayu, he should revert back to his position of Deputy Chairman (North).
“So it is not about whether somebody is bigger than the party, or the governors are this, or the governors are that, if, what if we interpret the concern of our party the way we intend to forcefully push for it to be interpreted, it will only be natural that it goes back to where Iyorchia Ayu was removed from.
“That is why I become unopposed, or perhaps maybe at that time, if North Central meets and says that this one is too little you cannot, maybe somebody else may come up. But for now, I’m alone, by law.
“I do not expect that the North Central will bring up more than one name at the NEC of 24th of October. Like you are all aware, this is not a national convention. That is not what is required.If the North Central comes up with the name and present it to NEC on the 24th of October, a new chairman has emerged.
“Once the name is ratified, that’s the new chairman, substantive chairman of the PDP. It does not require a national convention”, he explained.
