High Court Gives Judgement on Disputed PDP National Secretary Position, Details Surface
- The federal high court, Abuja, has declared Senator Samuel Nnaemeka Anyanwu, as the valid national secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)
- Justice Inyang Ekwo made an order of injunction restraining the national leadership of the PDP from appointing any person as acting national secretary when Anyanwu’s tenure is still running
- Justice Ekwo also declared that any meeting held or resolution reached by the party to prematurely oust or prevent Anyanwu is null and void
Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 6-year-experience covering politics and elections in Nigeria
FCT, Abuja - A federal high court in Abuja has declared that Samuel Anyanwu remains the bonafide national secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
As reported by Channels Television on Tuesday, January 9, Justice Inyang Ekwo issued an order restraining the national leadership of the PDP from appointing any person as acting national secretary when Anyanwu’s four-year tenure is still running. Justice Ekwo said this is subsisting until December 9, 2025, in line with the party’s constitution.
Source: Facebook
Court declares Anyanwu as legal PDP nat'l secretary
Justice Ekwo declared that any meeting held or resolution reached by the party to prematurely remove or prevent Anyanwu from exercising the powers of his office would violate Article 47 (1) of the PDP Constitution (as amended in 2017), hence, becomes null and void and of no effect.
PAY ATTENTION: Share your outstanding story with our editors! Please reach us through info@corp.legit.ng!
PM News also stated that the court prohibited the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) “from recognising any purported appointment of any person as national secretary of the party whether in acting capacity or otherwise other than Anyanwu, the elected national secretary of the 1st defendant (PDP).”
Justice Ekwo held that the plaintiffs were able to demonstrate, with credible evidence, the threat and move by the PDP leadership to remove its national secretary without due compliance with the provisions of the party’s constitution.
He said:
“The court is duty-bound to prevent that from happening. The plaintiffs do not have to wait until the 1st — 4th defendants carry out their threat before coming to seek redress.
“In such a situation, the court is bound to grant the reliefs sought by the plaintiffs.”
Meanwhile, before the verdict, Justice Ekwo rejected two motions for joinder filed on behalf of the national vice chairman of the PDP (South East) Ali Odefa and S.K.E. Ude-Okoye described as the party’s national secretary.
The judgement was on the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1580/2023 filed by Geoffrey Ihentuge and Apollos Godspower.
Ihentuge is the chairman of the PDP in Ikeduru local government area (LGA), while Godspower is the PDP chairman in Owerri Municipal LGA, both in Imo state.
Listed as defendants were the PDP; the party’s acting national chairman, Umar Damagun; the National Executive Committee (NEC); the National Working Committee (NWC) and INEC.
The plaintiffs had argued, among others that the threat by the PDP’s national leadership to remove Anyawu from office violated the provisions of Article 47 (1) of the Constitution of the PDP (as amended in 2017) pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.
According to them, Anyanwu was duly elected on December 10, 2021, and was entitled to remain in office till December 9, 2025.
Furthermore, the plaintiffs argued that an elected national officer of the PDP “cannot be arbitrarily removed from office in any manner without his resignation and in breach of the party’s constitution.”
However, in a counter affidavit, the defendants stated that contrary to the plaintiffs’ argument, Anyanwu applied for leave of absence to enable him to concentrate on his election as the PDP candidate in the Imo governorship election which took place on November 11, 2023.
The defendants added that the party’s NWC approved that the deputy national secretary should act in place of the national secretary as provided in Article 36(2) of the party’s constitution.
Anyanwu didn't step down from Imo guber race
In a piece of related news, Legit.ng reported that the SamJones Governorship Campaign Council debunked the report that Anyanwu stepped down from the race.
The PDP campaign council in the state described such reports as fake and untrue.
Wike, PDP governors clash over Anyanwu
Legit.ng also reported about a tussle between the governors elected on the platform of the PDP and the minister of the federal capital territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.
PDP governors were reportedly not in support of the planned return of Anyanwu as national secretary of the party.
PDP replaces Anyanwu
Meanwhile, the PDP NWC announced Setonji Koshoedo as Anyanwu's replacement as the party's national secretary.
The PDP explained that the appointment of Koshoedo was tentative.
PAY ATTENTION: Donate to Legit Charity on Patreon. Your support matters!
Source: Legit.ng
