Umar Iliya Damagum

Umar Iliya Damagum, the acting chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), has raised concerns about the internal crisis in the party.

He also talked about party loyalty, citing Dino Melaye’s actions during the 2024 governorship polls in Kogi.

In a recent interview with Daily Trust, Umar Iliya Damagum, addressed remarks made by Senator Dino Melaye, who had referred to the PDP as a “once upon a time party.”

Damagum didn’t mince words, squarely placing some of the responsibility for the party’s challenges on Melaye’s shoulders.

“Let me remind you about that statement credited to Dino. He’s part of the problem,” Damagum said, citing Melaye’s run for governor in Kogi State, where, according to the chairman, the senator didn’t even vote for himself. “Put that on record: he didn’t go out to vote in his own election,” Damagum emphasised, highlighting what he viewed as a lack of commitment to the party.

The PDP Chairman went on to question Melaye’s role in allegedly harming the party’s image, stating that anyone given the party’s platform has a responsibility to uplift its fortunes. He acknowledged that while winning or losing is part of the process, candidates owe it to the party to at least lose “credibly.”