Opposition lawmakers under the aegis of Coalition for United Political Parties (CUPP) on Saturday raised alarm over the renewed plot to remove of Governor Siminalayi Fubara of River State by the sacked 27 members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who defected to All Progressives Congress (APC).
Spokesman of the Coalition, Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere raised the alarm during a press briefing held in National Assembly, Abuja, and reeled out some leaked Court documents signed by PDP Chairman, Damagun and PDP Secretary, Senator Anyawu to aid pro-Wike APC interest against PDP in Rivers State and help their attempt to remove Governor Fubara from office.
The 3-page document dated 23rd July 2024 was titled: ‘Notice of withdrawal of appeal brought pursuant to Order 11 Rule (1) of the Court of Appeal Rules 2021.
“Take notice that the Appellant herein intends and doth hereby wholly withdraw her Appeal dated and filed on 16/07/2024 by Dr. J.Y. Musa, SAN, against all the Respondents in this Notice of Appeal.”
Speaking during the Media chat, Hon. Ugochinyere said: “The Opposition Lawmakers Coalition under the main Opposition Coalition umbrella the CUPP today raised serious allegations against the party’s acting National Chairman, Mr. Umar Iliya Damagum, and National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu.
“The lawmakers accused the two party leaders of a covert plot to sabotage the PDP’s interests in an ongoing legal battle involving defected former members of the Rivers State House of Assembly which is part of a desperate and shameful effort to betray their own party, destroy all legal efforts and aid the pro-Wike APC elements have the legal backing to attempt their impossible plot of removing the PDP government led by Gov. Fubara out of Office.”
Hon. Ugochinyere who was accompanied by other ranking Opposition lawmakers, detailed a series of events that he described as a calculated attempt by Damagum and Anyanwu to weaken the PDP from inside and undermine its legal standing in a high-profile court case that will see pro-Wike sacked APC lawmakers gaining legal ground to attempt to force PDP government out of office.
He further alleged that the National Chairman of PDP Iliya Damagun and Secretary Samuel Anyawu in a show of shame are opposing the National Legal Adviser Ajibade SAN’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 but 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.
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.
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,” Ugochinyere stated. “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.”
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 claim 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,” Ugochinyere urged.
“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.”
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