PDM formed to divide PDP ahead 2015 polls –Anenih

[Mirror]

The Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Board of Trustees (BoT), Chief Tony Anenih, has said that the emergence of the Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM) as a political party was a plot by politicians to divide PDP and check the success of the party in the 2015 general elections.

Anenih said those that registered PDM as a political party has stolen their mandate that he said was initiated since 1998 under the leadership of the late General Shehu Musa Yar'Adua.

But, the National Chairman of the PDM, Mallam Basher Ibrahim, urged the party not to be distracted in its mobilisation efforts at attracting more members into the party's fold. He said that PDM as a political party is a party that its time has come.

Speaking at the elders' meeting of the PDM founding fathers, Anenih said, "I am sure that you are all aware that some people have managed to get a political party registered by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) with the same name as our own organisation. This poses a very grievous challenge to our existence."

He further said; "It is obvious that those who have "stolen" our name to register a so-called political party do not mean well for our organisation or the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) within which we have operated distinctly and effectively in the last 14 years.

"Their aim is, obviously, to ride on our goodwill to attract members out of the PDP with the purpose of weakening or even destroying the party.

"Our concern, therefore, about this so-called political party, is not just about the fact that these people have stolen our name, but, more importantly, that their intentions are far from noble. They seek to weaken the PDP and undermine its electoral capability", Anenih lamented.

The chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees therefore called on the members of the movement to ensure that the PDM as a political party is resisted.

Accordingly, he said; "We have a responsibility to stop these people as we are loyal and committed members of the PDP."

Although, we have maintained our identity as a pressure group within the party these past years, we are proud to say that there has never been any clash between our PDM affiliation and our PDP membership.

According to Anenih, who faulted the registration of PDM as a political party; "Another major source of concern is the manner in which party registration was given to those who are now parading themselves as the PDM.

"There was no public notice as would have been expected, announcing their intention and application for registration as a political party. If there had been such a public notice, we would have evidently articulated our opposition to the application and preempted their scheme.

"Also, there is no evidence that the so-called party had offices in the required number of states before it was registered."

[EbukaOkafor14]

Any plot to divide PDP should not come through because that won't be nice for Nigeria. All we crave for is Unity right now.