The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) stakeholders from South East may be up in arms against the leadership of the party over refusal to comply with court orders, to recognise Sunday Ude-Okoye as PDP National Secretary.
The current holder of the office, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, who is also from the region, is the PDP candidate in this weekend’s governorship election in Imo State.
Though PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, said the party’s constitution does not require elected member of the National Working Committee (NWC) who is contesting public office, to resign their position, except the person chooses to step down on their own, PDP South East stakeholders felt the zone is currently not well represented in the NWC.
He argued that “the secretariat is running smoothly and effectively, therefore, there is no need to look for a replacement for the National Secretary.”
Since Anyanwu has been engaged in his governorship campaign, Deputy National Secretary Setoji Kosheodo, who is not from South East, has been holding forth.
At a zonal meeting held in Enugu last month, Ude-Okoye, former National Youth Leader, was chosen to serve out Anywanwu’s tenure as National Secretary.
But Ambassador Umar Damagun-led NWC has refused to accord him recognition, prompting the zone to seek redress in court.
The zone had obtained two previous court orders on October 20 and 23, respectively, directing the PDP NWC to recognise Udeh-Okoye as the PDP National Secretary, as nominated by the PDP South East zonal executive committee, but regrettably, the orders were not obeyed.
PDP and Senator Anyanwu’s lawyers were said to be present in court.
The latest court order was given on November 7 by Justice C.O Ajah of Enugu High Court.
The case was brought before the court by Aniagu Emmanuel, against PDP, Damagun and Ali Odefa, Vice Chairman (South East).
The court in its ruling, said the “interim order compelling PDP to recognise Hon. SKE Udeh-Okoye as the valid National Secretary remains in force until the hearing of the motion on notice on November 27, 2023, or the determination of the appeal in the appellate court, whichever occurs first.”
It granted the plaintiff permission to serve all court orders and processes on PDP and Senator Anyanwu through their counsel, as well as to serve the acting National Chairman, Ambassador Damagum, by pasting the orders at the entrance of the PDP national secretariat until he acquires legal representation.
The court further grants an interim injunction prohibiting Senator Anyanwu “from representing himself or being recognised as the National Secretary of PDP, or engaging in the role, until the motion on notice is heard on November 27.”
