The Forum of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) State Chairmen has expressed displeasure over the continued use of the name of former President Goodluck Jonathan by the Interim National Working Committee (INWC), claiming he is the party’s 2027 presidential candidate.

It urged Jonathan to publicly disassociate himself from the group.

The INWC, which is chaired by Dr Tanimu Turaki, had manually submitted the name of Jonathan and the National Assembly candidates of the camp to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) when the umpire did not grant the camp access codes to upload the names.

The National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP, chaired by Honourable Abdulrahman Mohammed, and recognised by INEC, received access codes and uploaded the names of the party’s presidential candidate, Senator Sandy Onor, and all National Assembly candidates to the INEC portal.

Jonathan’s name was conspicuously missing from the names of qualified candidates just published by INEC, an indication that the umpire did not recognise him as a candidate of the PDP.

Monday, the PDP state chairmen called on Jonathan to save his name and integrity by disowning the Turaki-led INWC, knowing well that the party had no faction or leadership other than the NWC led by Honourable Mohammed.

The Chairman of the Forum and chairman of the Imo State chapter of the PDP, Honourable Austin Nwachukwu, who addressed a news conference in Abuja on behalf of the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), urged Jonathan to stop encouraging the Turaki-led camp by allowing the group to continue to use his name.

“We call on you, in view of the global image and moral authority you command, to address Nigerians directly and disassociate yourself from the continuous use of your name in this spectacle of macabre dance by expelled PDP members.

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“It is public knowledge that your name is being used by these shameless people to perpetuate their ignoble activities. This must stop. Silence in the face of such misuse damages not just the party, but your own legacy of peace and statesmanship”, they stated.

The Forum, which accused the INWC of “forgery” and “distortion” of court judgments to create the impression of an existing “PDP faction”, sought the intervention of security agencies to investigate the alleged forgery and prosecute those involved accordingly.

“Their utter disrespect for the rule of law, their breach of peace, and reckless utterances pose a clear and present danger to public order. Nigeria is a nation of laws, not of propaganda. No group of expelled and recalcitrant individuals should be allowed to substitute court pronouncements with press statements”, the forum said.

In addition to asking the NWC to initiate legal proceedings against the actions of the INWC, the chairmen also drew the attention of the FCT Minister, Mr Nyesom Wike, to the building serving as the meeting venue of the Turaki camp in the Garki Area of Abuja for necessary administrative action.

“This facility is being used to coordinate activities that are capable of breaching public peace and leading to a total breakdown of law and order in the FCT.

“We urge the minister to cause an immediate security review and take necessary administrative action in the interest of peace in the nation’s capital”, the chairmen added.

The Forum insisted that there was only one PDP chaired by Mohammed, noting that PDP members “parading” themselves as a faction in the Turaki-led camp were impostors, who should be disregarded henceforth.