A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party and member of the House of Representatives, Ikenga Ugochinyere, has accused the acting National Chairman of the party, Umar Damagum, and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, of plotting to return 27 Rivers State lawmakers who in December 2023 defected to the All Progressives Congress.

The federal lawmaker also alleged that Damagum has procured the services of Joshua Musa, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, seen as a friend of the FCT minister to “file secret action against PDP interest”,

Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Thursday, Ugochinyere, who represents Ideato South/Ideato North Federal Constituency of Imo State, said, “We have called you today to give you an update on the recent happenings in the PDP following the now-confirmed reports which spread from last week about the PDP filing papers in court secretly in aid of the defected 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly who are no longer lawmakers after they left PDP for APC and their seats were declared vacant.

“While we cannot speak about the issues of bribery allegations and the receipt of the sum of $2m by those behind this shocking act of betrayal of their party, we can, however, authoritatively speak to you about only what we can and have confirmed to be facts and to be true.

“Recall that the PDP, through the legal adviser, deliberately misled the public and party members when he denied the allegations of the existence of such a legal process where PDP headquarters gave authorisation for the sacked APC lawmakers to be reinstated using one Dr Musa Joshua, SAN.

“We can confirm to you that the PDP has filed a Motion for joinder in Suit No. FHC/PH/CS/90/2024, a suit filed by the remaining members of the Rivers State House of Assembly to declare the seats of the 27 defected members of the Assembly vacant.

“We can also confirm that the PDP led by Umar Damagum and the Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade using a personal lawyer of FCT Minister Wike, also filed a counter affidavit to the said suit and a written address opposing the prayers to declare the seats vacant and insisting that the sacked APC lawmakers are still PDP members and should be left alone to continue the activities against the PDPled government in Rivers State,” Ugochinyere said.

He continued, “After the National Executive Committee meeting, which agreed on a peaceful exit for Damagum at the next NEC meeting that will come in a few months, which will see the emergence of a candidate from North Central as PDP Chairman; many strange things have been happening.

“First, they went to secure an ex parte order that Damagum should remain in office using APC members who are parading as PDP members,” he added, stressing that “In an action that looks like payback, Damagum-led NWC now hired a lawyer to file court papers seeking to reinstate sacked APC lawmakers to enable them to attempt an impossible task of illegally removing Gov Siminalayi Fubara from office.

“Also, a strange court action which the Damagum-led National Working Committee is not opposing, came out from nowhere, ordering NWC to allow the PDP caretaker list filled with APC members to be inaugurated. Strangely, our PDP NWC allowed APC members to take over our party structures.”

He also tasked legal stakeholders to interrogate the manner ex parte orders are procured by political actors, saying “The Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee needs to immediately establish measures to determine whether any person under its authority has done anything warranting its disciplinary action.

“The Chief Judge of the Federal High Court needs to address this issue and save the institution from this image-damaging scandal. Was this the reason Uche Secondus, Celestine Omehia, and Austin Opara rushed off to the Court of Appeal to challenge the order restraining them from attending the PDP NEC meeting without bothering to challenge it before the judge at the Federal High Court?” he asked.

Ugochinyere also called on party organs including the governors to speak up on the issue of party leadership.

“We call 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 us that Damagum is a clear and present danger to the PDP and its survival. He has now come out openly and is no longer disguising his loyalty to the APC. Urgent action is required now,” he further said.