•Northwest rejects consensus national chair, claims not consulted, choice imposed by govs

Chuks Okocha in Abuja

The Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has faulted claims by the National Secretary of the Party, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, that his signature was forged on the correspondence transmitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), regarding the forthcoming National Convention of the party in Ibadan, Oyo State.

In a statement by the chairman of the BoT, Senator Adolphus Wabara, while the BoT would have preferred to refrain from engaging in matters of internal administrative procedure in the public domain, the gravity of the allegation and its capacity to mislead party members and the general public, necessitated a clear and factual clarification.

Wabara said it was on record that the said INEC notification letter was jointly signed by the National Chairman, Ambassador Umar Iliya Damagum and Senator Samuel Anyanwu, the National Secretary, on the 25th of August, 2025, during the 102nd meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the PDP.

‘’The signing took place in the presence of critical organs and stakeholders of the party, including members of the PDP governors’ forum, the Board of Trustees, and other NEC members, who witnessed the process.

‘’Subsequent to this, Senator Anyanwu was formally inaugurated as the Secretary of the Contact and Mobilisation Sub-Committee for the 2025 National Convention.

“In that capacity, he co-signed official communications of the sub-committee, including letters of appointment issued to its members, alongside the Sub-Committee Chairman, His Excellency Senator Douye Diri, Governor of Bayelsa State.’’

Furthermore, Wabara stressed that, ‘’Senator Anyanwu, in his capacity as Sub-Committee Secretary, personally signed and transmitted a letter seeking financial approval for the inaugural meeting of the sub-committee.

‘’These verifiable correspondences, bearing his signature, are in the custody of the party and relevant convention committees,’’ he stated

Accordingly, Wabara said, ‘’In view of these incontrovertible facts, the BoT finds Senator Anyanwu’s claim of forgery to be baseless, misleading, and to say the least, reprehensible being inconsistent with the documented record of events.

‘’Such allegations, regrettably, can only be interpreted as a deliberate attempt to cast aspersions on the integrity of the party’s leadership and processes, and to misinform security agencies and the general public.

‘’The Board of Trustees reaffirms that the Peoples Democratic Party remains cohesive, resolute, and unwavering in its commitment to democratic values, transparency, and internal harmony.

‘’The forthcoming PDP 2025 Elective National Convention scheduled to hold on Saturday 15th to Sunday 16th November, 2025 in Ibadan, the Oyo State Capital, shall by every measure, be a credible and unifying exercise reflective of the PDP’s long-standing tradition of internal democracy.

‘’The BoT therefore calls on all members, stakeholders, and supporters of the Party to disregard the unfounded claims by Senator Anyanwu and remain steadfast in their support for the leadership of our great Party as it continues to chart a course for Nigeria’s democratic renewal on the platform of the PDP,’’ Wabara stressed.

Meanwhile, The crisis within the PDP worsened, last night,as some northern stakeholders have rejected the adoption of a former Minister of Special Duties, Tanimu Turaki, as theirconsensus national chairman.

Addressing news men after their meeting in Abuja, the National Organising Secretary of the party, Hon. Bature Umar, said the office of the national chairman was zoned to the Northwest but the party’s governors hijacked it and imposed the former minister of Special Duties without any consultation.

According to the national organising secretary, ‘’This meeting was at the instance of the Governor of Zamfara with a view to adopting a particular individual for the national chairmanship position zoned to the North West.

 “A meeting was held yesterday with other leaders of the northern zones, and the name of an individual was reportedly adopted. The North West has not met to agree on that position. That’s why we came for this meeting, and unfortunately, that meeting again was postponed.

 ‘’So, what we want to make clear to everybody is that this zone has not adopted anybody as a candidate from this zone for the Peoples Democratic Party. There is a lot of resentment due to a lack of consultation among the leaders of this zone.

 “We believe we are the strongest zone in the PDP, and the attitude of our leaders in this regard made us take this position that we disagree with the governors’ position of yesterday, and we are going to have our own candidate that we will nominate for that position.

 ‘’North West is the zone to which the national chairmanship has been zoned. This position has been determined by other zones, and we feel it is unfair for other zones to determine a particular candidate when this zone has not been consulted. That’s why we are taking this position.

 “He said they can go ahead. Those who are interested in contesting can go ahead to contest. Do you think that’s fair, and is there any need for disagreement when it’s open that you can contest? If it’s open, then why did they adopt somebody else? That would be the question you should have asked him.

 ‘’If it’s an open contest, they should have allowed others to come out and contest. They shouldn’t have just zoned it to one person. If he knew that the chairmanship position has been zoned to the North West, why should he adopt a candidate when he has not met others? That’s why we’re here today.

 “Consensus about who? Consensus is made by consultation. We have not been consulted. The governor himself zoned these positions to the North West. We were supposed to meet yesterday at the instance of the Zamfara governor, who said he was traveling, and that meeting was suspended until today.

 ‘’The governor then sat down and adopted a candidate. We didn’t sit down in the North West to adopt a candidate.That’s why we are expressing this position. As far as we are concerned, we do not have a candidate recognized as the North West candidate.

 ‘’We are all stakeholders here. We are all party chairmen. We are all members of the National Assembly. None of us was consulted. We were at the meeting when these positions were zoned to the North West.

 ‘’So, if Governor Fintiri can adopt his own in the North East, why can’t we, stakeholders of the North West, be allowed to sit down and adopt our own candidate? I present him to you,’’ he stated.

Meanwhile, the screening of all aspirants for various National Offices in the 2025 PDP Elective National Convention has been scheduled for Tuesday, 28th October, 2025.

In a statement by Chairman of the National convention organising Committee, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, ‘’The Screening is to hold at the National Convention Organizing Committee (NCOC) Secretariat Conference Hall, Legacy House, Maitama, Abuja at 2pm while the Screening Appeal has been slated for Thursday, 30th October, 2025

 ‘’To this effect, Monday, 27th October, 2025 has been approved as the last date for the submission of already completed Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms by all aspirants to the NCOC Secretariat.

 ‘’All aspirants, critical stakeholders and Party members should note the dates and be guided accordingly.’’

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