An aggrieved Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chairmanship aspirant in Kogi State, Hon. Muhammad Sani Gambo, has called on PDP governors, the party’s caucus and National Working Committee (NWC), to save the party in Kogi State from disintegration.
He also said only through the practice of fairness, justice and equity can the party salvage the nation from outright destruction by the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Gambo at a press conference in Abuja, said he is the rightful person to occupy the state chairmanship position, as the first runner added that the assumed winner has been suspended by the party over anti-party before the state congress took place.
Displaying copies of court cases where the assumed winner’s nomination form was ordered to be retrieved and his appeal dismissed, Gambo wondered how such a person would be declared winner during the state congress.
He noted that until PDP abides by the rule of law, it cannot salvage the country from the hands of APC.
He said: “We can achieve this only on the principle of fairness, justice and equity in all our doings. PDP has no business being in opposition, if only we abide by the rule of law, to call a spade-a-spade no matter whose ox is gored.
“We are immensely grateful to the party for the conduct of the last PDP State Congress in Kogi State. The Congress was free and fair and the outcome well accepted by all the contestants except for one position (The State Chairman). What baffles us all is the needless, avoidable and unnecessary interest by the sponsors of Hon. Enemona Anyebe, the ‘assumed winner.’
“The said person was suspended by the Party, first by his Local Government Excos, affirmed by the State Excos in 2019 and again by his Wards Excos in 2024 all on account of anti-party. The Ward Excos proceeded to cause a law firm to write the National Body of our Party to withdraw the form sold to him when they learned that the said Enemona Anyebe bought our Form to contest for the State Chairmanship seat and threatened to go to court if allowed to contest.
“After some weeks an aggrieved member of the party approached the State High Court and obtained a COURT ORDER via Suit No. HC/OKP/54M/2024 to stop him from participating in the Congress. He went to another State High Court with prayer to vacate the COURT ORDER via Motion Nos. HCL/372M/2024 and HCL/379M/2024 respectively and his appeal were dismissed.
“Notwithstanding all these, Enemona Anyebe was declared the winner and quickly sworn in at 9.00a.m. on Sunday, the following morning.”
Gambo, however, called on all the well-wishers and concerned members of PDP to help salvage our party from this outright absurdity in Kogi State to declare me the winner and be sworn-in to assume duty immediately since I am the first runner up in that election.
“The world and Nigerians look up to us to set the right standard as an opposition party. An order of court anywhere in the world is an order of the court and must be respected.
“I appeal to the National Leadership of our party from the National Chairman, National Organizing Secretary, National Legal Adviser, our gallant performing PDP Governors, Distinguished Senators/ Members of House of Representative and National Executive Council (NEC) of our great party to please intervene quickly, to save our party in Kogi State from outright disintegration,” he said.