PDP
Picnews
The crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has taken a fresh turn as the National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, petitioned the Department of State Services (DSS), the Inspector General of Police (IGP), and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over an alleged forgery of his signature. Anyanwu, in petitions dated October 15 and submitted to the agencies on October 16, denied signing the August 29 letter to INEC regarding the party’s planned national convention scheduled for November 15 and 16 in Ibadan, Oyo State.
The letter, which bore reference number PDP/DOM/GF.2/Vol. 1M/25 – 140 and dated August 25, 2025, was received by INEC on August 29, 2025. However, Anyanwu claimed that his signature was cloned without his knowledge or authorization. He expressed shock and outrage over the fraudulent use of his name and requested that the criminal act be thoroughly investigated and the culprits prosecuted.
The revelation has thrown the party’s convention into uncertainty, with some members questioning the legitimacy of the process. The PDP has been embroiled in internal crises since its 2023 presidential primaries, where former Vice President Atiku Abubakar defeated Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory. The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, has insisted that the convention will hold as scheduled, while others have expressed concerns about the party’s ability to reconcile its warring factions.
A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered all parties to maintain the status quo regarding the planned convention. Justice James Omotosho reaffirmed an earlier interim order halting preparations for the convention and set October 20 for the hearing of the substantive suit. The court case was filed by three aggrieved PDP members, including the Imo and Abia State Chairmen, who argue that the party failed to conduct proper congresses to elect delegates, rendering the entire process null and void.
The controversy has triggered renewed scrutiny of acting National Chairman Ambassador Umar Damagum, who is leading the push for the convention. Some members of the National Working Committee (NWC) argue that unresolved congresses in several states, coupled with the signature scandal, make it risky to proceed. The Damagum camp, however, insists that the convention must go ahead, warning that further delays could weaken the PDP’s preparations for 2027.
