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By Myke Agunwa, Abuja
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has dismissed claims by its National Secretary, Sen. Samuel Anyanwu, that his signature was forged on a letter notifying the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of the party’s forthcoming national convention.
Addressing journalists on Monday at the PDP national secretariat in Abuja, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Hon. Debo Ologunagba, described the allegation as “false, misleading, and a calculated attempt to distract the party ahead of its elective convention.”
He insisted that Sen. Anyanwu personally signed the convention notification letter alongside the National Chairman, Ambassador Iliya Damagum, in the presence of several National Working Committee (NWC) members and governors.
The controversy erupted after Senator Anyanwu petitioned the Inspector General of Police and the Department of State Services (DSS) over the weekend, alleging that the PDP leadership cloned his signature on the official correspondence to INEC.
In his petition, titled “RE: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Year 2025 Elective National Convention: Petition Against Forgery and Cloning of My Signature,” the embattled national secretary said he neither approved nor signed the letter dated August 25, 2025, bearing Ref. No. PDP/DOM/GF.2/Vol.1M/25-140.
“My attention has been drawn to an official letter to the Independent National Electoral Commission purportedly signed by me. Regrettably, the quoted letter was never signed, authorized, or known to me. It is shocking to have a forged or cloned version of my signature on the letter,” Anyanwu wrote, urging security agencies to investigate what he called “criminal conduct by officers of the party and their collaborators within INEC.”
But Ologunagba countered the claims, stressing that Anyanwu was fully aware of the letter and even participated in preparatory activities for the convention after signing it.
According to him, the decision to notify INEC was taken at the party’s 101st National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held on July 24, 2025, which directed both the chairman and secretary to issue a formal notice in line with Section 82(1) of the Electoral Act, 2022.
“NEC approved the timetable for the 2025 elective national convention scheduled for November 15–16, 2025, in Ibadan, Oyo State. It also directed the chairman and the national secretary to write INEC to inform it of the time, venue, and agenda,” Ologunagba said.
He revealed that at the subsequent 102nd NEC meeting on August 25, the letter in question was signed in the office of the national chairman in the presence of key party stakeholders, including governors Bala Mohammed (Bauchi), Umaru Fintiri (Adamawa), Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Ademola Adeleke (Osun), Dauda Lawal (Zamfara), and former Senate President Bukola Saraki.
Also present, according to him, were the party’s legal adviser, national organizing secretary, and other members of the NWC.
“At that meeting, four letters were signed by Senator Anyanwu and the chairman,” Ologunagba explained. “These included the letter to INEC on the convention, the composition of the National Convention Organizing Committee, the notice of repeat Southeast zonal congresses, and the notice of repeat congresses in Anambra and Ebonyi States. All four letters were signed on the same day, at the same venue, in the presence of these witnesses.”
He said it was curious that the national secretary waited for nearly two months before disowning one of the letters he had signed in public view.
“After signing, the acknowledged copy of the INEC letter was returned to the secretariat without objection from him. He even went ahead to nominate members for subcommittees and submitted a budget under his signature as secretary of the Contact and Mobilization Subcommittee for the convention,” the spokesman added.
Ologunagba further presented documents allegedly prepared and signed by Anyanwu for the subcommittee, stating that they served as proof that the secretary was actively involved in the convention planning process.
“When this acknowledgement came from INEC, the National Working Committee was aware. So at what point did that become a forged document, almost 50 days after it was signed?” he asked.
He accused Anyanwu of attempting to “derail the convention process” through what he described as a “false and sensational claim,” but maintained that the PDP welcomed a full investigation by security agencies.
“It is criminal to misinform security agencies and cause them to embark on a wild-goose chase with false reports,” Ologunagba said. “He who alleges must prove. There are personal consequences for misleading the police and the DSS with irresponsible reporting. Our party wants the truth established because forgery is a very serious allegation.”
The PDP spokesman concluded that the party would not be distracted by internal disputes, emphasizing that preparations for the November convention in Ibadan remained on course.
“Our focus is on strengthening democracy and repositioning the PDP as the credible alternative Nigerians deserve,” he said. “No amount of internal distractions will derail that mission.”