Samuel Ogidan, Abuja
Opposition lawmakers under the umbrella of Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP), have exposed plot to aid the sacked 27 Pro-Nyesom Wike Rivers state House of Assembly lawmakers to have upper hand against governor Sim Fubara in the ongoing legal battle in the state.
The opposition lawmakers, who fingered the Acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Amb. Umar Damagum and National Secretary of the party, Samuel Anyanwu, warned against the consequences of such plot.
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In a press conference in Abuja at the weekend, the spokesperson of the opposition and leading member of the House of Representatives, representing Ideato Federal Constituency, Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, detailed a series of events that he described as a calculated attempt to weaken the PDP from inside and undermine its legal standing in a high-profile court case that will see pro-Wike sacked All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmakers gaining legal ground to attempt to force PDP government out of office in Rivers state.
The opposition spokesman went further to state that the National Chairman of PDP and Secretary, are opposing the National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Adeyemi Ajibade’s move to ensure that the pro-Wike sacked APC lawmakers who decamped from PDP are neutralized and stopped from doing any harm to PDP interest.
He alleged that the PDP Chairman and Secretary are working in favour of the pro-Wike APC sacked lawmakers to help them regain lost legitimacy to aid them make another attempt towards their impossible dream of removal of their own PDP Gov Fubara led Rivers government
“The case, marked PHC/2177/CS/2024, centres on a dispute over the defection of 27 PDP members of the Rivers State House of Assembly to the All Progressives Congress (APC) on December 11, 2023,” he disclosed.
Ugochinyere explained that the Rivers State High Court had previously issued an ex parte order on July 8, 2024, restraining key state officials from interacting with the defected lawmakers.
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However, he alleged that former Governor Nyesom Wike, in what he described as an “anti-party” manoeuvre, retained Dr. J.Y. Musa, SAN, to file an unauthorized appeal against this order, despite opposition from the PDP’s National Legal Adviser, Mr. Ajibade, SAN.
“The National Legal Adviser, constitutionally empowered to protect the interests of the PDP, had already moved to withdraw the appeal on July 24, 2024, recognizing its potential harm to the party.
“However, in a shocking turn of events, on August 15, 2024, Damagum and Anyanwu sent a letter to the Court of Appeal in Port Harcourt, dissociating themselves from the withdrawal, effectively undermining the Legal Adviser’s authority,” Ugochinyere disclosed.
The Opposition Coalition lawmakers argue that this action by the party’s leadership is part of a broader scheme to destabilize the PDP in Rivers State and pave the way for the APC’s political ambitions.
They claimed that this is not an isolated incident but part of a pattern of interference by Damagum and Anyanwu in several other legal cases in Abuja and Port Harcourt, all allegedly aimed at weakening the PDP.
Ugochinyere warned of dire consequences if this “plot” is allowed to succeed, including the erosion of internal democracy within the PDP, potential fragmentation of the party, loss of public trust, and significant legal and financial repercussions.
He called for immediate action, including reaffirming the authority of the National Legal Adviser, taking legal steps to restrain the National Chairman and Secretary from further interference, and convening a disciplinary committee to investigate their actions.
“The PDP must stand united in the face of this betrayal. “We call on all members of the PDP and well-meaning Nigerians to join us in defending the integrity of our party and ensuring that justice prevails,” he said.
The press conference ended with a pledge from the Opposition coalition to continue their fight to protect the PDP from internal and external threats, promising to keep the public informed of any further developments in the case.
