By Opeyemi Adelakun
The Forum of State Chairmen of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called on former President Goodluck Jonathan to publicly dissociate himself from a rival group involved in the party’s lingering leadership dispute, warning against the use of his name to legitimise what it described as unlawful activities ahead of the 2027 general election.
The appeal was made on Monday during a press briefing in Abuja by the Chairman of the PDP Chairmen’s Forum, Austin Nwachukwu, who spoke on behalf of the 36 state chairmen and the chairman of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The forum also urged security agencies to investigate the rival group, led by former Minister of Special Duties, Tanimu Turaki (SAN), over allegations of forgery, impersonation and the alleged misrepresentation of court judgments relating to the party’s internal leadership crisis.
Nwachukwu alleged that members of the group had continued to present themselves as leaders of the PDP despite court decisions which, according to him, had settled the dispute over the party’s national leadership.
He warned that the actions of the group were capable of creating confusion within the party and misleading the public.
According to him, the forum remained confident in the judicial process and maintained that the only legally recognised leadership of the PDP is the National Working Committee headed by National Chairman Abdulraham Mohammed and National Secretary Samuel Nnaemeka Anyanwu.
“Their utter disrespect for the rule of law, their breach of peace and reckless utterances pose a clear and present danger to public order,” Nwachukwu said.
The forum called on security agencies to investigate what it described as the “criminal and malicious forgery and distortion of court judgments,” insisting that anyone found culpable should be prosecuted in accordance with the law.
It argued that failure to act could undermine public confidence in the judiciary and encourage further disregard for court decisions.
The chairmen also appealed directly to Jonathan to publicly reject any association with the rival faction, saying his continued silence could be interpreted as an endorsement of the group’s activities.
“It is public knowledge that your name is being used by these people to perpetuate their activities. This must stop,” the forum stated.
The forum further alleged that Jonathan’s name was unlawfully submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) by the rival group despite the party’s officially uploaded list of candidates.
It also called on the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, to order a security assessment of an office in Area 10, Garki, Abuja, alleging that the facility was being used for activities capable of threatening public peace and deepening divisions within the party.
In addition, the state chairmen urged the PDP National Working Committee to initiate contempt proceedings and other legal actions against members of the rival camp over allegations of impersonation, forgery and disobedience to court orders.
The forum maintained that the legal disputes over the party’s leadership had already been resolved by competent courts and accused the rival group of misleading party members through what it described as false interpretations of judicial rulings.
Nwachukwu said certified true copies of the relevant judgments would be made available to journalists to clarify the legal position.
The chairmen also commended the conduct of the PDP primary elections, describing the exercise as transparent and credible, while praising the party leadership for successfully uploading the names of its candidates, including presidential candidate Senator Sandy Onor, to INEC.
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