Beatrice Gondyi 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 an attempt by alleged impostors to create confusion within the party.
The party’s Legal Adviser, Yahaya Garkuwa, made this known on Tuesday at a press conference held at the PDP secretariat along Maiduguri Bypass, Bauchi.
Garkuwa said the PDP structure recognised by law in Bauchi State remains that led by Hon. Ibrahim Kashim Toro, while the party’s national leadership, according to him, is headed by Hon. Abdulrahman Mohammed.
He explained that the leadership dispute within the party had been subjected to litigation, with the matter passing through the Federal High Court, Court of Appeal and ultimately the Supreme Court.
According to Garkuwa, the Federal High Court had earlier affirmed the Abdulrahman Mohammed-led caretaker committee as the authentic national leadership of the PDP.
He said the Tanimu Turaki-led faction subsequently appealed the decision, but the Court of Appeal also upheld the leadership structure headed by Abdulrahman Mohammed at the national level and Ibrahim Kashim Toro in Bauchi State.
“The Tanimu Turaki faction was dissatisfied with the decision and proceeded to the Supreme Court, but the judgment was given in our favour,” Garkuwa said.
He added that the Supreme Court, according to his interpretation of the judgment, did not recognise the Tanimu Turaki faction as the legally recognised leadership of the PDP.
Garkuwa alleged that following the conclusion of the legal battle, members of the rival faction had resorted to impersonation and the spread of what he described as false information about the party.
“Now that they don’t have anywhere to go by the judgment of the Supreme Court, they have started impersonating that they are leaders of the PDP. They decided to create confusion by telling the public that the PDP structure has collapsed into APM,” he said.
The legal adviser insisted that members of the recognised PDP structure had not defected to the APM or any other 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 said.
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.
He urged members of the public to disregard claims suggesting that the party had collapsed or defected to another political platform.
“We are calling on the general public to take note that the only PDP known to the law is the one on our side,” he said.
Garkuwa also cited the publication of the names of PDP candidates by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ahead of the 2027 general elections as evidence of the legitimacy of the faction he represents.
He challenged the rival group to identify its candidates, saying, “If they are truly members of the PDP, let them name their candidates. They don’t have candidates.”
He assured supporters that the party remained united and focused on the 2027 elections.
“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.
The legal adviser was flanked at the briefing by the state party chairman, other party officials, key stakeholders and supporters.
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