Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has returned to Nigeria in preparation for the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which is scheduled to take place soon.
Atiku, who had been out of the country for several weeks, arrived back in Nigeria in the early hours of Tuesday.
His return comes ahead of the much-anticipated NEC meeting, which is considered crucial for the party’s future direction.
The Ambassador Illiya Damagum-led National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP was reportedly pressured into fixing the NEC meeting for April 18, after refusing to convene the meeting for over a year.
The NEC is the party’s second most influential decision-making organ after the national convention and is expected to meet every quarter as stipulated by the party’s constitution.
Sources indicate that the upcoming NEC meeting is expected to be a pivotal one for the party, with Atiku, who is seen as the de facto leader of the PDP, being the party’s presidential candidate in the last elections, expected to play a leading role in preparations for the meeting.
The party has been facing internal challenges, with allegations of poor management and external control.
Former Benue State governor, Senator Gabriel Suswam, has alleged that the party is being controlled by external forces, adding to the mounting pressure within the party.
In addition, the North Central zone has called for Damagum to step down from the acting national chairmanship seat and allow the emergence of a substantive national chairman from the region, to which the party originally zoned the position in 2021.
Former Senate President, Senator Iyorchia Ayu, from Benue State (North Central), emerged as national chairman at the party’s last convention.
However, Damagum, who hails from Yobe State (North East), was made acting national chairman in 2023 after a court order removed Ayu from office.
It is worth noting that some governors and party chieftains openly worked against Atiku as the PDP presidential candidate in 2023 and have reiterated their support for President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Support InfoStride News' Credible Journalism: Only credible journalism can guarantee a fair, accountable and transparent society, including democracy and government. It involves a lot of efforts and money. We need your support. Click here to Donate