The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has dismissed reports suggesting that it is conducting congresses across the country, describing the claims as false and misleading.
In a statement issued on Monday, the party’s National Chairman, Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, said the reports were being circulated by expelled members allegedly working in the interest of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
“Our members and the general public are hereby notified that our party is not conducting congresses in any part of the country,” the statement read.
“The false information is being circulated by expelled members of our party, who now have clearly shown their unrelenting appendages to the All Progressives Congress (APC)… in a bid to kill our party and derail our democracy.”
The PDP leadership accused the individuals behind the alleged misinformation of trading the party’s interests for personal benefits and political appointments.
“This false information and illegal association is one of the plans in the playbook of those who had mortgaged the fate of our party to the President and the APC, in return for political appointments and other favours,” the statement said.
It added: “We cannot surrender our party to people who want to use the platform for negotiation with the ruling party, as they did during the just concluded FCT Area Council Elections.”
According to the party, such actions run contrary to democratic ideals and threaten Nigeria’s multiparty system.
“This disposition is obviously against the principles of multiparty democracy, which is the best option for a heterogenous and pluralistic society like ours,” the PDP stated.
The party urged its members and supporters nationwide to ignore any information relating to the purported congresses, insisting that no such exercise has been approved.
“We therefore urge all our members and the general public to discountenance the said planned congresses in the said states,” the statement said.
Instead, the PDP disclosed that its current focus is on strengthening its internal structures through digital registration.
“What the party is currently undertaking is the digital membership registration, which has commenced and is progressing well,” it noted.
The party leadership assured members that they would be kept informed about future developments.
“We will keep our members updated about the developments concomitant with the new political realities unfolding,” the statement concluded.