The internal crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has intensified, as National Secretary Senator Samuel Anyanwu petitioned the Department of State Services (DSS), the Inspector General of Police, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over an alleged forgery of his signature. The petition challenges the legitimacy of a letter sent to INEC concerning the party’s planned national convention in November, further jeopardizing the event.
In petitions dated October 15 and submitted a day later, Anyanwu asserted that he never authored or signed an official letter to INEC dated August 29 regarding the national convention scheduled for November 15-16. He described his purported signature on the document as “forged/cloned” and called for a criminal investigation to identify and prosecute the PDP officials and any “collaborators within INEC” responsible for the act.
This allegation emerges amidst escalating tensions between allies of the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, and the party’s leadership under acting National Chairman, Ambassador Umar Iliya Damagum. Key disputes include unresolved conflicts over South-South zonal leadership, control of party structures in several states, and disagreements on the micro-zoning formula for the convention.
The internal strife has already resulted in a lawsuit (FHC/ABJ/CS/2120/25) filed to halt the convention. The suit, initiated by PDP chairmen from Imo and Abia states and the South-South Zonal Secretary, accuses the Damagum-led National Working Committee (NWC) of violating the party’s constitution and internal election guidelines.
Proceedings in the case were complicated by a dispute over the party’s legal representation. At a hearing on Tuesday before Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja, two Senior Advocates of Nigeria, Kamaldeen Ajibade and Chief Chris Uche, both claimed to be the rightful counsel for the PDP. The judge adjourned the matter, directing them to present proof of their authorisation, and set October 20 for the substantive hearing.
In a related development, 14 members of the NWC reportedly signed a letter on October 16 affirming a decision to remove Ajibade as the National Legal Adviser over alleged compromise and to appoint Uche (SAN) as his replacement. Ajibade has contested this, insisting he remains the party’s legal adviser and arguing that only a national convention has the authority to remove him from his position.
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