A SYNOPSIS OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL POSITION OF DAMAGUM RIGHTLY OCCUPYING THE POSITION OF THE NATIONAL CHAIRMAN OF OUR GREAT PARTY

A SYNOPSIS OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL POSITION OF DAMAGUM RIGHTLY OCCUPYING THE POSITION OF THE NATIONAL CHAIRMAN OF OUR GREAT PARTY 

My people have this adage that says "It's the smell of someone's fart, they use to know the smell of the persons feaces or excreta." The 2012 PDP  constitution as amended is the smell of the fart & the 2017 PDP constitution as amended is the smell of the feaces or excreta. The PDP constitution lays,  recognizes & emphasizes more on the North & South diacothomy. 

The 2012 PDP constitution as amended has provided that guiding light towards the conscience, spirit & letters of the 2017 PDP constitution as amended. Section 35 subsection 2 of the PDP Constitution as amended 2012 says; "There shall be a Deputy National Chairman who shall come either from the Northern or Southern part of the country, depending on the part of the country the National Chairman hails from." 

The question I want to ask my sisters & brothers on the other side is that, why didn't the constitution say 'the zone the National Chairman hails from' as against the North or South? 

Now coming to the 2017 PDP constitution as amended, The PDP Constitution 2017 as amended,  Section 32 subsection 2 (d) says; "ensure that in the election of the Chairman and Secretary of the Board of Trustees, both the Northern and Southern part of Nigeria are accommodated." The question again is that, why is the emphasis laid on the North & South, & not the zones? 

The PDP Constitution 2017 as amended,  Section 35 subsection 3 (c) says; "In the event of resignation, removal, death, incapacitation or absence of the National Chairman, the Deputy National Chairman from the region/part of the country where the National Chairman originated from shall assume office as National Chairman in acting capacity without prejudice to Section 47 (6) of this Constitution" AND Section 45(2) says; "In the case of the National Chairman, he shall hand over to the Deputy National Chairman from his own region/part of the country who shall, without prejudice to Section 47 (6) of this Constitution, act as the National Chairman pending the election of a replacement." These sections & subsections have further buttressed the Northern & Southern position of the constitution & has legitimized the Acting National Chairman, Ambassador Umar Illiya Damagum, occupancy of the position even to a substantive level.

Coming to the only section those on the other side of the divide rely on, but contrary to their understanding & views, the section they are relaying on rather further strengthens & authenticates the legitimacy of Ambassador Umar Illiya Damagum, as the constitutional only elected officer who originates or hails from the same area or part of the country with the former National Chairman to occupy the office of the National Chairman. Which is, Section 47(6) & it says; "Where a vacancy occurs in the offices of the Party, the Executive Committee at the appropriate level shall appoint another person from the area or zone where the officer originated from to serve out the tenure of the officer." I say so because, anything short of that, the position goes to the South in line with section 35 subsection 3 (d). 

I guess the word "zone" in the constitution is what is confusing them forgetting the fact that, before the word "zone" was used & recognized in our political lexicon, it is a synonym & has been interchangeably used with region, part, area, et al.

In order to school them further, I humbly request they consult for the synonym of the word "ZONE" in the Oxford or American English Language dictionary or both. For the Oxford these are the synonyms;

area

sector

section

belt

region

territory

tract

stretch,

And the American these are the synonyms; 

area, 

belt, 

district, 

region, 

section, 

sector, 

sphere, 

territory

I therefore, commend the NEC via the NWC for perfectly performing their constitutional duty of appointing Ambassador Umar Illiya Damagum, the former Deputy National Chairman North as the Acting National Chairman in consonance with all the above relevant sections most especially, section 47(6)a of our great party constitution as amended 2017, & urge them to concretize it on the 24 of October, 2024, by confirm Ambassador Umar Illiya Damagum, as the substantive National Chairman in line with section 47 (6)b, to serve out the tenure of the North call it region, zone, part, area, belt, et al. 

On a final note, the former Head of State & President of Upper Volta & now Burkina Faso, Captain Thomas Sankara, once said to his people & I quote; "  We must choose either champagne for a few or safe drinking water for all.” & my submission & plea with our NEC members to choose safe drinking water for all which, Ambassador Umar Illiya Damagum, represents in PDP.

All We Are Sayyyying, Let Damagum Remain

We Don't Need Leadership Change 

We Need Leadership Stability

#WeStandWithDamagum