Trending 
A faction of the Peoples Democratic Party in Bauchi State loyal to FCT Minister Nyesom Wike has dismissed claims that its structure has been absorbed by the Allied Peoples Movement, insisting the party remains operational and prepared for the 2027 elections.
The party’s Legal Adviser, Barrister Yahaya Garkuwa, made the clarification on Tuesday during a press conference in Bauchi, describing the merger reports as misleading and stemming from impersonation by rival camp members.
He said the courts have consistently recognised the leadership structure headed by Hon. Ibrahim Kashim Toro at the state level and Hon. Abdulrahman Mohammed at the national level.
Garkuwa explained that the party’s leadership crisis had been subjected to judicial review at multiple levels.
The High Court recognised the Abdulrahman Mohammed-led caretaker committee as the authentic national leadership of the party, he said.
He said the judgment was challenged by the faction associated with Tanimu Turaki, but the Court of Appeal subsequently upheld the lower court’s decision and affirmed the Abdulrahman Mohammed-led leadership at the national level and Ibrahim Kashim Toro as the party leader in Bauchi.
According to Garkuwa, the dispute eventually reached the Supreme Court following another appeal by the opposing faction.
He claimed that the apex court’s decision further strengthened their position, arguing that the Tanimu Turaki-led faction had no legal basis to present itself as the authentic leadership of the party.
Garkuwa alleged that after losing in court, members of the opposing faction had resorted to impersonation and spreading false information.
“Now that they don’t have anywhere to go by the judgement of the Supreme Court, they have started impersonating that they are leaders of the PDP,” he said.
He stressed that authentic PDP members had not defected or entered into any arrangement to join another political party.
“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 stated.
Garkuwa disclosed that the party had presented Hon. Usman Adamu Ahmed Suphi as its governorship candidate for the 2027 election, with Alhaji Abdulkadir Aliyu Bababa as his running mate.
“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 added.
He challenged the rival faction to produce the names of its candidates for the upcoming elections.
