…Police Arrest Ali Odefa , Udeh Okoye, Official Printers, Others over Forgery
The crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has taken a new dimension as a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Magistrate Court presided over by Hon. Fatima I. Bukar has ordered the FCT Police Command to investigate the allegations of forgery of the party’s primary election guidelines levelled against the national officers of the party.
It was gathered that following the court order, the FCT police have quizzed the National Vice Chairman of the party (South-east), Ali Odefa; factional National Secretary, Chief Sunday Ude-Okoye; and some members of staff of the national secretariat of the party.
However, the official printers of the party, Abiodun Olu Printers Limited, who were expected to appear last Wednesday, pleaded that they were not in town and would appear at a later date for questioning.
This is just as the South-south Zonal Executive of the party has suspended its Zonal Secretary, Chief Felix Omemu.
It was gathered that the directive of the FCT Magistrate Court followed a petition filed by a member of the party, Mike Iheanaetu, alleging that the documents used by the High Court in Enugu and the Court of Appeal to deliver the judgments that affirmed Sunday Ude-Okoye as the National Secretary of the party were forged.
Conveying the court’s directive to the police, the Principal Registrar of Abuja Magistrate Court, Yusuf Tambaya, had in a letter to the Deputy Commissioner of Police, FCT Police Command, stated that: ”I am directed by the presiding Magistrate 1, Her Worship, Hon. Fatima I. Bukar sitting at Magistrate Court Wuse Zone 6, FCT, Abuja to write to your office to investigate the above-mentioned case and report back within two weeks from the date of the receipt of this if a prima facie case has been established against the defendants, the defendants should be brought on FIR for trial.
”Thanks for your cooperation, find attached a copy of the criminal complaint. Accept her worship’s assurance of the highest esteem and warmest regards,” the letter read.
The petitioner was said to have claimed that the original guidelines for the PDP primary election were signed on February 17, 2022, by the former National Chairman of the party, Dr. Iyochia Ayu; and the embattled National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, while the alleged fake guidelines used to secure victory for Ude-Okoye were not dated and signed.
The petitioner also insisted that Section 47, subsection 5 of the PDP Constitution does not stipulate that a party official seeking to contest a public election should resign.
However, in the alleged fake primary election guidelines, it is stated that: “Pursuant to Section 84 (12) of the Electoral Act 2022, any aspirant who is a political appointee shall resign his appointment before the purchase of Expression of Interest (EOI) and nomination forms.
“Pursuant to Section 47 (5) of the PDP Constitution (2017 as amended) which mandatorily requires resignation of any elected officer of the party vying for elective office; any aspirant who is a party office Holder/Executive Committee Member at any level shall resign his or her office or appointment seven days before the purchase of the Expression of Interest Form and shall provide, Proof of Resignation along with his or her completed EOl Form before being allowed to procure the nomination form. Failure to adhere to this provision shall be grounds for automatic disqualification of such an aspirant.”
The complainant alleged that it was this purportedly forged PDP election guidelines that the Enugu State High Court and Court of Appeal relied on to deliver their judgments in favour of Ude-Okoye.
Iheanaetu’s lawyer, Kalu Kalu, therefore prayed the court to ”Kindly cause a Writ of Criminal Summons to be issued against the defendants at the instance of the complainant for the forgery of particulars of the PDP election guidelines.”
According to the lawyer, “We are the solicitors to the complainant in the complaint and we have the instruction of our client to state as follows: That our client is the complainant in this case, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party and a Nigerian citizen who resides at Utako, FCT, Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court.”
Among other claims, the lawyer alleged that “the said forged election guidelines have created a lot of crises amongst members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
”That the 1st and 2nd defendants are determined to continue to use the said Election Guidelines to create more crises in the said party. That our client has suffered irreparable loss as a result of the use of the said forged Election Guidelines by the 1st and 2nd defendants.
”That our client has consulted us and we found that the facts disclosed disclose that the offence of forgery has been committed by the defendants and now have the instruction of our client to file this Direct Criminal Complaint.”
It was based on these complaints that the FCT Police Command invited PDP officials.
The officials concerned appeared before the FCT Police investigation team and made statements on what they knew about the alleged forged PDP guidelines.
It was gathered that official printers of the party were asked to come with the original artworks of the guidelines to determine how the alleged forged guidelines found their way and were eventually inserted into the original guidelines.
South-south Zonal Executive Suspends Zonal Secretary
Meanwhile, the South-south Zonal Executive has suspended its Zonal Secretary, Omemu for one month for alleged misconduct and unauthorised statements in the media discrediting the Zonal Executive Committee (ZEC) meeting held in Benin City, Edo State.
Omemu, had in a statement, issued in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, claimed that the meeting summoned by the party’s National Vice Chairman, South-south, Chief Dan Orbih was illegal.
Citing the PDP Constitution, Omemu argued that the ZEC meeting could only be held with the approval of the Zonal Working Committee.
He argued that there was no time the Zonal Working Committee deliberated and agreed to convene a meeting of the Zonal Executive Council.
However, at the South-south ZEC meeting in Benin, Edo State, the factional Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martin Chike Amaewhule, moved the motion for the suspension of Omemu, which was seconded by the member representing Ogoja/Yala constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Godwin Offiono.
Amaewhule accused Omemu of misconduct, breach of trust, and fostering division among the party members.
He said the suspension was due to the issuance of unauthorised statements in the media concerning the ZEC South-south meeting, and calling on members not to attend.
“Chief Felix Omemu must be suspended and a Disciplinary Committee set up to investigate the zonal secretary,” Amaewhule said.
Amaewhule described the Zonal Secretary’s action as illegal and an attempt to cause disunity and dissuade members from attending the South-south ZEC meeting in Benin.
Following the suspension, PDP Zonal Legal Adviser, George Turnah was immediately appointed to function as the Acting Zonal Secretary.
On his part, National Vice Chairman (South-south), Chief Dan Orbih lauded the ZEC for the suspension, saying the move was aimed at repositioning the party and curbing the excesses of some leaders and members.
The South-south Zonal Executive Committee meeting was attended by Senators and House of Representatives’ members drawn from the states in the South-south except Akwa Ibom State.
