The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has told the Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje led splinter group, to henceforth seize from carrying out its activities with the name, flag, logo of the PDP.
The PDP who also branded any unauthorised use of its identity as an act of impostors threatened to criminalise such act.
The party spokesman, Oliseh Metuh noted this in a statement heralding has the judgement of the Federal High Court upholding the leadership of PDP under the National chairmanship of Alhaji Bamanga Tukur.
The statement which described the ruling of the court in this regard is absolutely clear, direct and unambiguous said the PDP has only one duly elected National Executive Committee under the National Chairmanship of Alhaji Bamanga Tukur.
“We wish therefore to state with all emphasis that any group of persons parading themselves as leaders of this organ of our party are impostors and must be treated as criminals by all and sundry.
“Henceforth, the leadership of the PDP will no longer tolerate or condone any meeting, utterances, press statements and/or activities whatsoever under the name, flag and colour of the PDP by any unauthorized person or group(s) under any guise.
“As a law abiding party, the PDP remained calm in the face of the unwarranted attacks of the last few months. Our leaders chose the path of caution and decorum but our reconciliatory moves and offer of olive branch were treated with the highest disdain and viewed as signs of weakness.
“The National Working Committee has therefore directed that the name, colour, flag and the provisions of constitution of our party must be held sacrosanct by our members. The PDP has adequate internal mechanism for resolution of disagreements and members are advised to express their grievances through such.
“We thank all members who kept faith and remained loyal to the constitution of the party through this trying time. Our party remains one big family and the preeminent party, commanding true and genuine followership among Nigerians across the country.
“The challenges of the last few months instead of detracting us have indeed better positioned our party to continue to win elections at all levels in our country.”
Meanwhile, some elders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara State has called on the Alhaji Bamanga Tukur led PDP to immediately sanction the proponents of new PDP in Kwara State.
The elders of the state party stated this while paying a solidarity visit to the national working committee of the PDP on Friday in Abuja. They cautioned that further delay in sanctioning those promoting the splinter PDP would create an unfavorable environment in the state party.
The former governor of the Kwara state, Sen. Bukola Saraki, the incumbent governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed and the chairman of the new PDP, Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje, have been behind the splinter group in the state.
Calling on the PDP to urgently instill discipline in the state party, the leader of the delegation and chairman of the Federal Character Commission (FCC) Prof. Abdulraheem Oba said “the new PDP as far as we can recognise in Kwara, is a party that has been constituted by proclamation and it is unknown to any democratic ideas or principles.
“If the people promoting that party are doing so on the excuse that they are trying to entrench democracy within the parent party, that is the wrong way to go.
“We on this delegation urge you Mr Chairman that the time is now not tomorrow, that you must put on ground your strong foot of discipline to restore sanity in Kwara PDP.’’ He said.
Speaking earlier, Suliaman Alada who said the delegation came to reaffirm their solidarity to president Goodluck Jonathan and the Bamanga Tukur delegation is ready to ensure that Kwara remains under the mainstream PDP.
He said “with this team, the party should have faith in us and pray for us. We will make certain that those who believe Kwara State will not move forward without them, God will put such people to shame.
“This is the time for action to stand up and prove our worth, not to cringe but be in the fore front for the good of Nigerians and generations to come. We are not against anybody staying in the party but there cannot be two masters in one ship” he said.
In his response, the national chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, noted that there is no duplicate of the PDP in the country. He said the party under his leadership would continue to abide by fairness, equity and justice.
He described the delegates as the heavy weights in the political firmament of the state, said he has worked with them and know their capacity.
The national chairman further assured that “in PDP there are no impositions but consensus, no selection but election. That is what our party believe in. We will make sure the party does the right thing.
“We are all owners of this party. PDP has no duplicate. It is one and our vote is one” he said.
Others on the delegation include: the special adviser to the President on Ethics, Sarah Jubril; former presidential aspirant, Dr. John Dara; Senator Haliru Kayama; Femi Sani; Folorunsho Ayinla; Alhaji Ladi Edun amongst others.