By Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja
In defiance of a Federal Capital Territory court and an Enugu High Court orders restraining him from parading himself as the National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Senator Samuel Anyanwu on Tuesday stormed the National Secretariat of the PDP where he was given a rousing welcome by the staff.
Senator Anyanwu, who was the governorship candidate of the PDP in the last Saturday’s election, lost to the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, and incumbent Governor of the State, Senator Hope Uzodinma.
However, in an unprecedented twist, Senator Anyanwu, popularly known as Sam Daddy, flagrantly defied the courts’ orders, orchestrating a return to his role as the National Secretary of the PDP.
The Tuesdays spectacle unfolded as Anyanwu audaciously strode into the office, meticulously capturing the act on video, in a stark portrayal of contempt, disregard, disrespect, and disdain for the Nigerian judiciary.
The Federal Capital Territory High Court, headed by Justice M.M. Adamu, it will be recalled, had on the 10th of November 2023, unequivocally issued directives explicitly barring Anyanwu from parading himself as the National Secretary of the PDP.
Additionally, the court prohibited recognition of Anyanwu in this role by the PDP, NWC, NEC, servants, agents, privies, or any other person until the determination of the substantive suit adjourned for a hearing on the 24th of January 2024.
Simultaneously, an Enugu High Court had earlier restrained him from executing the duties inherent to the National Secretary position.
Undeterred by these legal constraints, Anyanwu decided to choose a path of blatant non-compliance, raising profound questions about his and PDP’s dedication to the sanctity of the rule of law and their willingness to abide by court decisions.
The audacious nature of this transgression is compounded by the existence of video evidence where Anyanwu was seen striding into the office of the PDP National Secretary, a visual testament to his (Anyanwu’s) intentional flouting of court orders.
This footage, according to Hon. Chibuzor Okafor, former Chairman/CEO of Enugu State Investment Promotion Agency, and Hon. Ogbonna Ugonna, former PDP State Organizing Secretary, did not only challenge the authority of the judiciary but also casts a foreboding shadow over the foundational principles of justice and legality within the nation.
Senator Anyanwu’s brazen move, Okafor and I gonna declared,, has injected an intricate layer into the ongoing legal battle, underscoring not only the urgency for a resolution of the substantive suit but also for the PDP to quickly obey the directives of the court and stop this unabashed defiance of court orders.
The legal arena, they maintained ,now grapples with the formidable task of addressing this egregious act of disobedience, as both the PDP and Senator Anyanwu navigate the far-reaching repercussions of their actions across the political and judicial landscapes.
Açcording to them, “The nation watches closely as this high-stakes drama unfolds, testing the resilience of its legal institutions and the integrity of its political processes”
They added “this flagrant disobedience of court orders by the PDP and Senator Anyanwu places the party at risk of adverse judicial sanctions. Okafor stated that the party also risks a political crisis by the NWC’s disregard of the resolution of the South East Zonal Executive Committee, replacing Senator Anyanwu as National Secretary with Rt. Hon. Udeh-Okoye”.
However in his response, the acting National Chairman of the PDP disclosed that the Deputy National Secretary of the party, Hon Setonji Koshedo has been directed to continue acting the party’s National Scribe in view of the various conflicting cout orders over the matters.
