..Anyanwu’s forgery claims won’t stop PDP convention —Deputy Legal Adviser
By Luminous Jannamike
The crisis rocking Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has taken a dramatic dimension as the party’s National Secretary, Sen. Samuel Anyanwu, has petitioned the Department of State Services, DSS, Inspector General of Police, and the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, over an alleged forgery of his signature.
This is a development that further threatens the conduct of the party’s planned November national convention.
In petitions dated October 15 and submitted to INEC, DSS, and the IGP on October 16, Anyanwu asserted that he never signed the August 29 letter to INEC regarding the November 15–16 National Convention.
Recall that despite the decision to hold its national elective convention in Ibadan, Oyo State, on November 15 and 16, tension has persisted within the PDP as allies of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, continue to express discontent with the leadership of Acting National Chairman, Ambassador Umar Iliya Damagum.
Their concerns revolve around unresolved disputes over South-South zonal leadership, control of party structures in Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Plateau, and other states, as well as disagreements on the micro-zoning formula for the upcoming convention. These disputes have now escalated into a court case seeking to stop the exercise.
In suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/2120/25, PDP chairmen from Imo and Abia states, Austin Nwachukwu and Amah Abraham Nnanna, along with the South-South Zonal Secretary, Turnah Alabah George, accused the Damagum-led National Working Committee of breaching the party’s constitution and internal election guidelines, prompting judicial intervention.
The defendants listed in the suit include INEC, the PDP, Damagum, and several other senior members.
At Tuesday’s proceedings before Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, the case was adjourned to October 16, following a disagreement over who had the authority to represent the PDP.
Two Senior Advocates of Nigeria, Kamaldeen Ajibade and Chief Chris Uche, both laid claim to the role of the party’s counsel.
The judge directed them to present evidence of their authorisation before the substantive hearing.
The court subsequently fixed October 20 for the main hearing and ordered all parties to exchange court documents by October 17.
Meanwhile, a letter dated October 16 and signed by 14 members of the National Working Committee reaffirmed the decision to remove the National Legal Adviser, citing alleged compromise, and to appoint Uche, SAN, as his replacement.
In his response, Ajibade maintained that he was still the party’s National Legal Adviser with the authority to represent the PDP, emphasising that only a national convention had the power to remove him from that position.
In his petition, Anyanwu denied the authorship of the letter sent to INEC, allegedly bearing his signature, and called on the IGP and DSS to conduct an investigation into the matter.
In his letter to the Acting Chairman of INEC, titled “RE: Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Year 2025 Elective National Convention: Petition Against Forgery and Cloning of My Signature,” Anyanwu stated that the referenced letter was neither signed, approved nor issued by him.
The letter read: “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, 2025, 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 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.”
In a separate letter to the DSS Director General, titled “Petition Against Forgery and Cloning of My Signature,” Anyanwu urged an investigation and prosecution of PDP officials and INEC collaborators involved in the alleged crime.
It read: “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, 2025, 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 Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and their collaborators within INEC be investigated and the culprits prosecuted.”
Anyanwu’s forgery claims won’t stop PDP convention—Deputy Legal Adviser
Reacting to the allegation yesterday, Deputy National Legal Adviser of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Barr. Okechukwu Osuoha, assured that the convention would still go ahead as planned.
Osuoha, who spoke exclusively to Vanguard in Abuja yesterday, confirmed that the dispute surrounding the convention was already before the court but maintained that the party remained optimistic about proceeding with the exercise.
He said: “My brother, you know that the matter is already in court, I think you’re aware of that. And in law, whenever a matter is before the court, you don’t comment on it because it amounts to what’s called sub judice.”
While refraining from commenting further on the details of the case, Osuoha added that party leaders were hopeful of a positive outcome.
“Yes. I believe the next adjourned date is sometime next week. So let’s see how things go. Because if you comment on it, it amounts to sub judice. The case is still pending in court.
”But everybody is worried. Anyway, by the grace of God, I believe we’ll survive it. We’ll still go ahead with the convention. Let’s just see how things turn out,” he said..
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