The internal crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has deepened as the party’s National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, alleged that his signature was forged on an official letter sent to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) notifying the body of the party’s forthcoming national convention in Ibadan, Oyo State.

Anyanwu, a known ally of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, made the allegation in separate petitions to INEC, the Department of State Services (DSS), and the Inspector-General of Police.

In the petitions dated October 15 and obtained by PUNCH on Sunday, Anyanwu stated that he never signed the August 29 letter to INEC notifying the commission of the planned convention scheduled for November 15 and 16, 2025.

Addressing his petition to the acting Chairman of INEC, the PDP scribe titled it “RE: Peoples Democratic Party Year 2025 Elective National Convention: Petition Against Forgery and Cloning of My Signature.”

Anyanwu maintained that the document in question was neither authorised nor issued by him.

“My attention has been drawn to the above titled official letter to the Independent National Electoral Commission with Ref. No. PDP/DOM/GF.2/Vol.1M/25-140 dated Monday, August 25, 2025, purportedly signed by me. Regrettably, the quoted letter was never signed, authorised, or known to me. It is shocking to have a forged or cloned version of my signature on the letter,” he wrote.

The party official called for a full investigation into what he described as a criminal act allegedly perpetrated by PDP officers in collaboration with insiders within INEC.

“I therefore request that this criminal conduct by officers of the Peoples Democratic Party and their collaborators within INEC be investigated and the culprits prosecuted. Attached herewith is an excerpt of the forged document for ease of reference,” he added.

In separate letters to the DSS Director-General and the Inspector-General of Police titled “Petition Against Forgery and Cloning of My Signature,” Anyanwu repeated his demand for a thorough investigation and prosecution of those responsible.

The latest development further compounds the PDP’s troubles ahead of its scheduled convention, which has already been fraught with internal disagreements and leadership disputes.

Despite the party’s decision to host the convention in Ibadan, discontent remains high among Wike’s allies, who have expressed dissatisfaction with the leadership of the acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum.

Their grievances centre on the unresolved tussle over South-South zonal leadership, control of party structures in several states — including Cross River, Akwa Ibom and Plateau — and disagreements over the micro-zoning formula for key national offices.

The internal divisions have now extended to the judiciary. In suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/2120/25, PDP chairmen from Imo and Abia states, Austin Nwachukwu and Amah Abraham Nnanna, along with the South-South Zonal Secretary, Turnah Alabah George, accused the Damagum-led National Working Committee (NWC) of violating the party’s constitution and internal electoral guidelines.

The suit lists INEC, the PDP, Damagum, and several senior members as defendants.

During Tuesday’s proceedings before Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, the case was adjourned to October 16 after a dispute over which lawyer was legally authorised to represent the party.

Two Senior Advocates of Nigeria, Kamaldeen Ajibade and Chief Chris Uche, both laid claim to being the PDP’s official counsel. The judge ordered them to present proof of authorisation before the next sitting and fixed October 20 for substantive hearing, with all parties directed to exchange court documents by October 17.

Meanwhile, a letter dated October 16 and signed by 14 members of the NWC reaffirmed the decision to remove the National Legal Adviser, citing alleged compromise, and to appoint Uche (SAN) as his replacement.

Reacting, Ajibade insisted that he remains the party’s substantive Legal Adviser, arguing that only a national convention — not the NWC — has the constitutional power to remove him from office.

Anyanwu’s petitions to security agencies and INEC have now intensified uncertainty over the PDP’s upcoming convention, fuelling concerns that the opposition party’s internal strife — now marred by forgery allegations and courtroom battles — could derail preparations for its crucial leadership transition.

Credit: The Punch

The Federal Government has reaffirmed that English Language and Mathematics remain mandatory subjects for all candidates registering for their O’Level examinations, regardless of the recent review of tertiary admission requirements.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the Federal Ministry of Education clarified that the newly introduced policy on streamlined admission criteria does not exempt any student from taking or registering for the two core subjects.

The clarification was contained in a release signed by the Director of Press and Public Relations, Boriowo Folasade, following what the ministry described as widespread misinterpretation of the new O’Level admission framework.

Earlier in the week, Boriowo had announced that students in the arts and humanities would no longer need a credit pass in Mathematics as a condition for admission into tertiary institutions. She explained that the reform was designed to broaden access to higher education after years of restrictive policies that prevented many qualified candidates from securing university admission.

According to her, while over two million candidates sit for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination every year, only about 700,000 eventually gain admission, a shortfall the new framework seeks to bridge.

The announcement, however, generated mixed reactions among education stakeholders. Some experts argued that the decision could lower academic standards and discourage diligence among students, particularly in core subjects.

Responding to the backlash, the ministry, in its latest statement, insisted that the reform does not remove the requirement for students to register and sit for both English Language and Mathematics in their Senior School Certificate Examinations.

Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, explained that the policy aims to promote flexibility, fairness, and inclusiveness in tertiary admissions, ensuring that qualified candidates are not denied opportunities based on weaknesses in subjects unrelated to their preferred courses of study.

“The streamlining ensures that deserving students are not denied access to higher education due to credit deficiencies in subjects that are not directly relevant to their chosen fields of study,” Alausa said.

He further stated that the new framework aligns with global best practices and corrects imbalances in the previous admission process.

While the revised guidelines grant institutions the discretion to admit candidates into specific programmes where a credit pass in either Mathematics or English may not be compulsory, the ministry stressed that all students must still take the two subjects in their examinations.

“The adjustment only affects admission criteria for specific programmes, not the requirement to take the subjects,” the ministry emphasised.

The statement reiterated that English Language and Mathematics remain foundational to a well-rounded education, adding that all students must continue to register for both subjects.

“All students must continue to take both subjects as part of their Senior School Certificate Examinations, as they remain vital components of a sound educational foundation,” it partly read.

The ministry noted that the reform is consistent with the government’s broader objectives of promoting equity, inclusivity, and human capital development, while safeguarding the quality and integrity of the education system.

It also advised students, parents, and other education stakeholders to rely solely on official communication channels and verified social media pages of the ministry for accurate information regarding ongoing education reforms.

There was tension in the Central Business District of Abuja early Monday as operatives of the Nigeria Police Force fired teargas canisters at unsuspecting commuters.

The development followed reports that activists had begun converging at strategic points within the city for the planned #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protest.

Eyewitnesses said many of the affected commuters were waiting by the roadside to board vehicles to their workplaces when officers of the police descended on the area, releasing multiple rounds of teargas without warning.

The protest, convened by Sahara Reporters publisher and former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore, was announced days earlier as part of a nationwide demonstration calling for the immediate release of detained IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu.

Security agencies, anticipating large turnouts, had since the early hours of the morning mounted blockades along major roads, including routes leading into the Central Business District. The heavy presence of armed personnel caused significant traffic congestion and confusion among residents trying to access offices in the area.

In a post on social media platform X, Sowore alleged that security operatives had gone beyond crowd control measures to make targeted arrests.

“The @PoliceNG team deployed to brutalize #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protesters arrested Nnamdi Kanu’s brother, and his lawyer, @AloyEjimakor, as well as innocent bystanders. They were beaten and taken to the FCT command. The police must release them immediately!”

At the time of filing this report, neither the police nor the Federal Capital Territory Command had issued an official statement regarding the incident or confirmed the number of arrests made.

Commuters who were caught in the chaos said many had to abandon bus stops and flee into nearby buildings to escape the teargas fumes, which lingered for several minutes.

The #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protest is the latest in a series of agitations demanding the release of the IPOB leader, whose continued detention despite multiple court rulings has drawn both local and international criticism.

Security presence across the city remained heavy as of 8:30 a.m., with joint patrols seen around the Federal Secretariat, Eagle Square, and Area 1. Movement into some parts of the city centre was still restricted, while the atmosphere remained tense.

More to come…