By Omoyeni Ojeifo
A fresh twist has emerged in the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) leadership crisis as the party’s 36 state chairmen and their Federal Capital Territory counterpart petitioned security agencies over alleged forgery and impersonation by a rival group.
Persecondnews correspondent reports that the Chairman of the PDP Chairmen’s Forum, Austin Nwachukwu, presented the petition at a press conference in Abuja on Monday.
Nwachukwu alleged that former Minister of Special Duties, Tanimu Turaki (SAN), Barr. Ini Ememobong and Tony Aziegbemen were among those presenting themselves as leaders of a rival PDP group.
He claimed their actions contradicted court judgments which, according to him, recognised the National Working Committee led by Alhaji Abdulraham Mohammed as National Chairman and Senator Samuel Nnaemeka Anyanwu as National Secretary.
Nwachukwu said the forum was seeking the intervention of security agencies over what it described as alleged forgery and distortion of court judgments.
“We call on all security and law enforcement agencies to investigate, with immediate effect, the criminal and malicious forgery and distortion of court judgments by these co-travellers”.
“Nigeria is a nation of laws, not propaganda,” he said.
The PDP chairmen maintained that there was only one recognised leadership of the party, led by Abdulraham Mohammed and Samuel Nnaemeka Anyanwu.
Nwachukwu alleged that the rival camp had continued presenting itself as a legitimate faction of the PDP despite court pronouncements recognising the party’s leadership.
“These individuals have continued to falsely present themselves as a faction of the PDP despite competent court pronouncements to the contrary. There is only one PDP recognised by INEC and by the courts,” he said.
Nwachukwu also called on former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan to publicly distance himself from the rival group and help address concerns surrounding the PDP leadership dispute.
“We call on former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan to address Nigerians directly and disassociate himself from the continuous use of his name by expelled PDP members”.
“Silence in the face of such misuse damages not just the party but his legacy,” he said.
The forum further appealed to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Barr. Nyesom Wike, to investigate an office in the Area 10, of Abuja.
The facility, according to Nwachukwu, is located on Owo Close, off Makurdi Street, beside the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) office.
He alleged that the building was being used to coordinate activities capable of disrupting public peace in the nation’s capital.
“We urge the FCT Minister to cause an immediate security review and take necessary administrative action in the interest of peace and public order in the Federal Capital Territory,” he said.
The PDP Chairmen’s Forum also urged the party’s National Working Committee to commence immediate legal action, adding that the party must take steps to protect its identity, structure and legal standing amid the leadership dispute.
“We urge the National Working Committee to immediately file contempt proceedings and other appropriate actions against these expelled individuals for impersonation, forgery and disobedience of court orders,” he said.
He added that the forum would make available certified true copies of relevant court judgments to journalists in the coming days.
“The documents would help the media and the public understand the legal issues surrounding the PDP leadership dispute.”
Persecondnews correspondent also reports that the PDP chairmen further named Prof. Jerry Gana, former Niger State Governor Babangida Aliyu and PDP chieftain Chief Bode George among senior party figures they alleged were associated with the rival group.
Nwachukwu accused the group of presenting individuals as party leaders despite the position the forum said was backed by court decisions.
“The deception of the entire PDP membership must end. The party must protect its name, logo and structure in law, while ensuring that court decisions are respected,” he said.
Nwachukwu said the party’s internal processes, including the conduct of primaries and submission of candidates’ names to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), remained valid.
He, however, urged PDP members to remain calm amid the dispute and allow legal processes to determine the issues.
Efforts to obtain reactions from Tanimu Turaki (SAN), Ini Ememobong, Tony Aziegbemen, Prof. Jerry Gana, Babangida Aliyu and Chief Bode George were not immediately successful as of the time of filing this report.
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