PDP denies collapse into APM, threatens legal action

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By Christopher Ameh, Bauchi

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BAUCHI — THE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Bauchi State has dismissed reports that its structure has collapsed into the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), describing the claim as false and alleging that it was being spread by individuals impersonating party officials.

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The party’s Legal Adviser in the state, Yahaya Garkuwa, stated this on Tuesday at a press conference held at the PDP secretariat along Maiduguri Bypass, Bauchi.

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Garkuwa said the PDP recognised by law in Bauchi State remained the faction led by Hon. Ibrahim Kashim Toro, while the national leadership was headed by Abdulrahman Mohammed.

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He said the leadership dispute within the party had been the subject of several court cases, adding that successive judicial pronouncements had affirmed the leadership structure backed by the Bauchi PDP.

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According to him, the Federal High Court affirmed the Abdulrahman Mohammed-led caretaker committee as the authentic national leadership of the party.

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He said the faction led by Tanimu Turaki subsequently appealed the judgment, but the Court of Appeal upheld the leadership of Mohammed at the national level and that of Ibrahim Kashim Toro in Bauchi State.

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“Dissatisfied with the decision, the Tanimu Turaki faction went to the Court of Appeal where the Appeal Court still confirmed the leadership of the PDP under Abdulrahman Mohammed, and in Bauchi State under Hon. Ibrahim’s leadership,” Garkuwa said.

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He added that the matter was eventually taken to the Supreme Court, which, according to him, ruled in favour of the faction led by Mohammed.

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“At the Supreme Court, judgment was given in our favour where the Supreme Court said the Tanimu Turaki faction is not known by law, that only the PDP under Abdulrahman Mohammed is known by law, while here in Bauchi State, the PDP known by law is the one under Honourable Ibrahim,” he said.

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Garkuwa alleged that members of the rival faction had resorted to impersonation and the spread of what he described as false information after exhausting their legal options.

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“Now that they don’t have anywhere to go by the judgment of the Supreme Court, they now started impersonating that they are leaders of the PDP. And as they don’t have where to stay, they decided to create confusion to tell the public that the PDP structure has collapsed into APM,” he said.

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The legal adviser insisted that the PDP had neither joined the APM nor any other political party, saying the party remained intact.

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“We, the authentic members of the PDP, are still in the PDP. We have not joined any other political party; we still remain in the PDP,” he added.

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Garkuwa further disclosed that the Bauchi State PDP leadership was preparing to take legal action against individuals allegedly parading themselves as officials of the party.

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He urged members of the public to disregard reports of the party’s alleged collapse, insisting that the PDP recognised by law remained under the current state leadership.

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“You can see that we are the only PDP members whose candidates’ names were published by INEC ahead of the 2027 general elections,” he said.

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He also challenged the rival faction to produce evidence of the candidates it intended to field under the PDP platform.

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“If they are truly members of the PDP, let them name their candidates. They don’t have candidates,” Garkuwa said.

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He assured party supporters that the PDP remained politically active in the state and was preparing for the 2027 general elections.

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“PDP is not collapsing into any political party. PDP is still standing, PDP is still strong and is fully prepared for the 2027 general elections,” he said.

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The press conference was attended by the state PDP chairman, other party officials, stakeholders and supporters.

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