A group of lawmakers elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the House of Representatives, under the umbrella of G-60, have raised fresh alarm over an alleged plot to impeach the Governor of Rivers state, Siminilayi Fubara.
News About Nigeria reports that Governor Fubara is battling with his predecessor and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.
Addressing a world press conference in Abuja, the Spokesperson for the G-60, Hon. Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, pointed accusing fingers at the National Chairman of the Party, Umar Damagun, alleging that he is working with the All Progressives Congress (APC) to destroy the PDP and render it useless in participating in the 2027 Presidential election.
Ugochinyere called on the National Executive Committee of the PDP, the Board of Trustees, and all other men of goodwill to take another look at the current leadership of the party and agree with them that Damagun is a clear and present danger to the PDP and its survival.
The Group alleged that Damagun has gone against the tenets of the agreement reached at the last National Executive Council meeting of the PDP, which allowed him to remain in office until August when a new chairman will be elected, by obtaining a court injunction against his removal.
Ugochinyere further alleged that the PDP, under the leadership of Damagun, has gone to court to file a suit opposing the prayers to declare the seats of the 27 lawmakers from Rivers state who defected to the APC vacant, on the ground that it is only the party that can determine who its members are.
He said that even though the legal adviser of the party initially denied the suit, “We can confirm to you that the processes were filed by Dr Joshua Musa, even though the party earlier filed a suit asking the court to declare the seats vacant.
“The PDP is now approbating and reprobating at the same time. So, what happened? When was this new alliance forged? When did the PDP start defending the defected lawmakers? What are the terms of that negotiation? Are the terms in the interest of the PDP or APC, the new party of the now-former members?”
He alleged that Damagun has dragged the PDP to court and obtained an order restraining the PDP from removing him from office, after the NEC of the party had fixed August for Damagun to democratically leave office.
Ugochinyere called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to pay close attention to developments within the polity “lest Nigeria’s democracy slip off under his watch.”
He also called on the security agencies to move in immediately and get to the root of the chain of obtaining ex-parte orders and judgments in a defined pattern against all known principles of fair hearing and justice.
The Chief Justice of Nigeria, the National Judicial Council, the Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee, and the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court were also urged to take immediate action to address the issue and save the institution of the Federal High Court from this image-damaging scandal.
