Enugu High Court orders immediate halt to Anyanwu’s claim as PDP National Secretary

By Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja

An Enugu High Court has, for the third time, ordered to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its National Working Committee (NWC), under the acting National Chairmanship of Ambassador Umar Ilya Damagum, to put an end to Senator Samuel Nnaemeka Anyanwu’s pretense as PDP National Secretary.

Anyanwu, who is the candidate of the PDP in Imo State for tomorrow’s (Saturday’s) governorship election, is yet to vacate office as the National Secretary of the party, months after emerging as its gubernatorial flag bearer.

Also, despite earlier directives of the court, the Umar Damagum-led PDP had persistently shown disregard for the sanctity of the judicial process, willfully disobeying the court’s mandates.

While recapping events, the High Court, on October 20, 2023, instructed the PDP NWC to promptly acknowledge Hon. SKE Udeh-Okoye as the PDP National Secretary, as nominated by the PDP South East (SE) Zonal Executive Committee.

This order was reiterated on October 23, 2023, with the PDP counsel and that of Senator Samuel Nnaemeka Anyanwu present in court.

Unfortunately, the Umar Damagum-led PDP continued to flout the court’s authority.

On November 7, 2023, the Enugu High Court again reaffirmed its prior order and specified that:

*The interim order compelling PDP to recognize 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.

*The plaintiff is granted permission to serve all court orders and processes on PDP and Senator Samuel Nnaemeka Anyanwu through their counsels.

*The plaintiff is authorized to serve all court orders and processes on PDP Acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, by posting them at the entrance of the PDP National Secretariat until he acquires legal representation.

*An interim injunction prohibits Senator Samuel Nnaemeka Anyanwu from representing himself or being recognized as the National Secretary of PDP, or engaging in the role, until the motion on notice is heard on November 27, 2023.

The question being asked now is: Will the PDP defy the court’s authority for the third time, potentially undermining the principles of the Nigerian constitution?

With this latest development, it is believed that any action that the PDP takes contrary to the directives of the court, in regards to the office of the National Secretary of the party, will be deemed null and void, illegal, and illegitimate.