Fresh tension is brewing in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as over 20 federal lawmakers have threatened to defect over an alleged plot by the party leadership to clear a nominee reportedly sponsored by Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, for the position of PDP National Woman Leader.

The lawmakers, under the umbrella of PDP Reformed Group, in a statement on Monday, signed by their spokesperson, Hon. Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, accused the party leadership of working with some PDP governors to impose a non-member allegedly loyal to Governor Mbah as the new woman leader ahead of the party’s national convention.

Mbah, who was elected on the PDP platform in 2023, recently defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) following weeks of speculation about his political alignment.

The PDP lawmakers warned that unless the candidate is disqualified during the screening exercise scheduled for Tuesday, they would have no option but to resign from the party, describing the development as the height of political sabotage.

Ugochinyere alleged that the move was part of a wider plan by the Acting National Chairman, Ambassador Umar Damagum, and National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, to fill key party positions with individuals sympathetic to the ruling APC.

The statement read in part: “The PDP lawmakers have uncovered a new plot by the Pro-APC elements in PDP to clear a nominee from an APC governor, Gov. Mbah of Enugu, for the post of national woman leader.

“The plot has been hatched, the screening is on Tuesday. Governor Peter Mbah, who recently joined APC from PDP, nominated a pro-APC woman who is not known to be a PDP member as a candidate for the post of national woman leader.

“It’s so shameful that PDP governors who were supposed to be angry with Gov Mbah are now considering fielding this woman as a national woman leader. They have secretly issued a nomination form to this woman instead of allowing the Southeast PDP, particularly Imo or Enugu, to occupy that position with a trusted candidate.

“This is the plan of Damagum and Samuel Anyanwu, to populate our party with pro-APC members who will eventually endorse Tinubu as sole presidential candidate

“We vow to decamp from PDP if this woman nominated by the APC governor is not disqualified. This is non-negotiable. The nomination form should be issued to another person from Imo or Enugu State, especially to the current woman leader, Mrs Ifeanyinwa, as a candidate.”