Former Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has condemned members of a faction within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who staged a protest at the United States Embassy in Abuja on Thursday, describing their actions as “shameful and embarrassing.”
In a strongly worded statement, Fayose said the demonstration by the group loyal to suspended National Chairman Umar Iliya Damagum represented “the shameful last kick of a dead National Working Committee (NWC) of tax collectors.”
“It’s Not America’s Job To Fix The PDP” – Fayose
Fayose ridiculed the group’s decision to involve a foreign mission in internal party matters, asking when it became the responsibility of the US or any European nation to resolve the PDP’s internal crisis.
“Instead of standing in front of the US Embassy in Abuja with placards, Damagum and his gang of tax collectors should have travelled to Washington to protest at the White House,” Fayose said sarcastically.
He questioned why the faction was blaming others for its internal failures, stating that Damagum and his allies had consistently acted outside the party’s constitution.
Fayose Faults Faction’s Disregard For Court Orders
The former governor reminded the group that the court had ruled just a week earlier that the PDP must complete certain internal processes—including pending state congresses—before convening a national convention.
“Instead of returning home to take stock and unite the party, they chose to suspend key members of the NWC, including the National Secretary, who is the only one constitutionally empowered to issue meeting notices,” Fayose said.
He also condemned the faction’s legal missteps, noting that they had ignored the party’s constitution regarding court representation.
“They went to court to contest who represents the PDP legally, even though it’s clearly stated that only the National Legal Adviser has that power,” Fayose explained.
“Their Impunity Is Not America’s Problem”
Concluding his statement, Fayose dismissed the faction’s attempt to seek foreign sympathy, saying their self-inflicted troubles had nothing to do with the United States or any external body.
“So how is the consequence of their impunity America’s business? The PDP’s problems were caused by those who have turned it into a market for personal gain. What we saw today is nothing but political comedy at its worst,” he said.
Fayose’s remarks come amid deepening divisions within the PDP’s leadership as rival factions continue to clash over control of the party’s national structure.
