Convention: Twist in PDP crisis as Anyanwu petitions police, DSS,

From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja

The crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of its national convention has assumed a new twist with the National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, alleging that his signature was forged in a letter to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Anyanwu, in three separate petitions dated October 15 and addressed to the acting Chairman, INEC; Director General, Department of State Services (DSS) and the Inspector General of Police (IGP), alleged that his signature was forged in a letter by the PDP, dated August 25, to the electoral body, notifying it of its national convention scheduled for November 15 and 16 in Ibadan, Oyo State.

In the run-up to the National Convention, the PDP has been enveloped in tension as feuding party leaders struggle for control of the party.

Anyanwu, an ally of Nyesom Wike, minister of the federal capital territory (FCT), said the petitions were necessary to protect the integrity of the party and prevent the use of falsified documents in official dealings with electoral or security agencies.

Last week, the PDP chairman in Imo State, Austin Nwachukwu and his Abia State counterpart, Abraham Nnanna and South South zonal secretary, George Turnah, filed a suit before a Federal High Court seeking to stop preparation for the convention, pending the determination of the substantive suit.

The PDP has been plagued by different crises in the last one year, as PDP Governors and loyalists of Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, battle over the control of the party machinery.

The PDP Governors, led by Bauchi State Governor and Oyo State Governor and Wike, had clashed over the position of national secretary earlier in the year, after the governors recognised former National Youth Leader, Sunday Ude-Okoye, as national secretary.

The South East caucus of the PDP, in 2023, nominated Ude-Okoye as Anyanwu’s replacement. After the Court of Appeal, Enugu Division, upheld the judgment of an Enugu High Court, which affirmed Ude-Okoye’s nomination, the PDP Governors withdrew support for Anyanwu.

However, Wike insisted that Anyanwu remains the opposition party’s chief scribe.

Eventually, the party resolved the conflict over the national secretary position, with the recognition of Anyanwu as the party’s scribe, following a judgment of the Supreme Court on the issue, and a meeting between party leaders and INEC.

Thereafter, the opposition party at its 101 NEC meeting settled for November 15 and 16 as the date for its national convention slated for Ibadan.

Prior to the 102 National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the party, there were concerns on whether the letter to the INEC for the convention would be signed owing to the division within the National Working Committee (NWC).

However, the chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum and Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, while addressing NEC meeting, at the 102nd NEC meeting on August 25, said all the encumbrances to the national convention have been removed, noting that all the relevant documents have been signed for onward transmission to the electoral body.

However, Anyanwu in his letter to the acting INEC chairman titled, “Re – Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Year 2025 Elective National Convention: Petition against forgery and cloning of my signature, “noted that, “My attention has been drawn to the above-titled official letter to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) with Ref. No. PDP/DOM/GF.2/Vol. 1M/25-140 dated Monday, August 25, purportedly signed by me.

“Regrettably, the quoted letter was never signed, authorised, or known to me. It is shocking to have a forged/cloned version of my signature on the letter.

“I, therefore, request that this criminal conduct by officers of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and their collaborators within INEC be investigated and the culprits prosecuted.

“Attached herewith is an excerpt of the forged document for ease of reference.”

Similarly, the PDP national secretary, in letters to the DSS boss and the IGP, titled: “Petition Against Forgery and Cloning of My Signature,” implored the security agencies to probe and prosecute officials of the opposition party for allegedly forging his signature.

The letters read in part: “My attention has been drawn to the above-titled official letter to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) with Ref. No. PDP/DOM/GF.2/Vol. 1M/25-140 dated Monday, August 25, purportedly signed by me.

“Regrettably, the quoted letter was never signed, authorised or known to me. It is shocking to have a forged/cloned version of my signature on the letter.

“I, therefore, request that this criminal conduct by officers of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and their collaborators within INEC be investigated and the culprits prosecuted.”