Under the umbrella of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) National Youth Amendment Movement (NYAM), a group of young people who support the party, known as the Pro-PDP Youth Group, has nominated former Nigerian Senate Minority Leader of the 10th Senate for the Party’s top leadership position. The group cites his charisma, ability, and consistency as reasons why he will improve and focus the Party’s national agenda.
The group made available to this medium a statement signed by Comdr. Muhammad Sadiq Almusanah, the group’s national coordinator, in which the group expressed its strong belief that the substantive chairman of the party, whose position became vacant and appointed Ambassador Umar Damagum as interim leader, should be the primary topic of discussion. According to the organisation, it is imperative that the Office be relocated to the North Central Zone, the birthplace of Sen. Iyorchia Ayu, the former National Chairman.
According to the group, Senator Simon Mwadkwon is better qualified to hold the position of National Chairman of the Party should it be returned to the North Central Zone because he was previously the Chairman of the Riyom Local Government Area, a two-term member of the House of Representatives for Barkin Ladi/Riyom Federal Constituency, a former senator from Plateau North, and the Senate Minority Leader of the 10th Senate.
The Statement reads in parts:
“Information at our disposal indicating that the National Executive Committee (NEC), meeting of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), is set to be held soon, is hereby received with high hope and expectations that our leaders are set to discuss issues of great concern towards advancing the real ideals and principles of the party.
“We are of the firm belief that one very important issue to be discussed should center on the substantive chairman of the party, whose seat became vacant, which brought in the interim leadership of Ambassador Umar Damagum.
“In this direction, it is our resolved borne out of the firm conviction that, the NEC, will consider reverting back the national chairmanship of the PDP, to its rightful place of North Central, whose former chairman Ayochia Ayu’s, tenure has not ended, but due to urgency, it was decided that his deputy should lead pending further decision at the party hierarchy.
“We are particularly, confident that the NEC should not only consider reverting the seat to North Central but also see reasons to support if not anointing Former Minority leader of the Senate, Senator Simon Mwadkwom, to serve as the National Chairman.
“We are again of the firm view that, Senator Mwadkwon, having been a loyal and dedicated party stalwart, is from Plateau State, from where the founding father and maiden chairman of the party, held and since its formation the PDP, has remained stronger in the State.
“With the victory of the party winning almost all national and state houses of Assembly, seats with a sitting Governor in the State, having regained our position from then seating Government of the APC, with the good efforts put in place by Senator Simon Mwadkwon, it will be a good decision to see Senator Simon Mwadkwon, emerging as the National Chairman of the PDP.
“His incidents as a grassroots politician, rising from Executive Chairman of Riyom Local Government Council, with good track records of achievements, to his twice vibrant representation of Barkin Ladi/Riyom Federal Constituency, and later elected as Senator that represented the Plateau North Senatorial district, where the PDP and other opposition parties deemed it wise for Senator Mwadkwon to be the minority leader, and with this synopsis, we are of the view that better times await the PDP, with him as substantive Chairman”
