The acting chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Umar Damagum, has addressed rumors that Wike has influenced him and refuted claims that Wike has “bought him over.” Damagum questioned the reasoning behind such claims, arguing that anyone leveling the charges might easily “repurchase” him if he had a price. He brushed these accusations aside as attempts to damage his reputation....READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE ▶▶
He pointed to Wike’s own televised remarks, where the former governor admitted that Damagum did not support him during the PDP convention. This raises the question of what kind of support Wike could be seeking now if he didn’t receive it at that time.
The chairman emphasized that his position has always been clear: any personal disputes individuals have with Wike should be addressed directly with him and not brought into the party.
He also praised Wike for his respect toward the PDP, noting that the former governor has never openly disrespected the party. If such disrespect had occurred, Damagum stated, he would have taken action against it.During a conversation with Daily Trust, Damagum elaborated, “Some claimed Wike has bought me over. Why don’t they repurchase me from him if I have a price? These narratives are just designed to create bad blood against me.”
“Wike himself has said on television—I believe in his last interview—that I didn’t support him during the convention. He wanted my support, but I didn’t give it. So, if he admitted it, what support could he be seeking from me now that I didn’t offer back then?”
Damagum reiterated his stance on separating personal disputes from party issues, stating, “I’ve said and will continue to say: if you have personal issues with Wike, go and resolve them with him.”
“He’s never publicly criticized or disrespected the party. If he had, I would’ve sanctioned him. Most of his conflicts are with individuals. How can I take personal battles and turn them into party issues?
