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Court affirms Anyanwu as National Secretary
By Folorunso Alagbede
The leadership crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Friday took a new dimension as the party accused its National Publicity Secretary, Hon. Debo Ologunagba of speaking without authorisation.
Ologunagba, it will be recalled, had on Thursday issued a statement, and said the party will abide by the court order that nullified last year’s PDP ward, local government and state congresses in Rivers State.
However, the Deputy National Publicity Secretary, DNPS, Hon Ibrahim Abudullahi, who was mandated by the acting National Chairman of the party, Ambassador Umar Ilya Damagum to address journalists yesterday, accused Ologunagba of sentiment.
He categorically berated Ologunagba for “speaking from both sides of his mouth”.
Abdullahi stated at the press conference held at the national secretariat of the PDP in Wadata House, Abuja that by the virtue of his election, he enjoys the same powers with Ologunagba to speak for the party.
His words, “Otherwise, all of the interviews and the communication i have been engaged in, in time past would have amounted to a nullity if at this point I cannot speak for this party”.
According to him, from the manner Ologunagba has demonstrated lately, “it is becoming very glaring and clear that the party is having discomfort with some of his disposition.”
Abdullahi said he had to disclaim Ologunagba’s statement on Rivers State because the National Working Committee (NWC) he claimed to have given him the directive, did not meet since September last year.
His words:”I wonder where he will now say the NWC sat and adopted wholly or accepted the verdict recognising the Ewor-led exco in River State.
“Not only that. Only recently he spoke about the judgement in Imo State wherein a court, affirmed the expulsion of Ugochinyere from the PDP.
“Even before the normal processes were adhered to, which is that the information from the ward where he was expelled or suspended transmitted to the local government, and eventually to the state for onward transmission to the NWC, Debo went to the press by issuing a statement that Ugochinyere was not expelled.
“A National Publicity Secretary does not enjoy such powers. He cannot speak for the NWC without clearance with the NWC.
“We have now come to a level where the sentiment that he has allowed to becloud his reasoning is beginning to take toll on his job”.
The deputy NPS revealed that PDP has been served with two court orders not recognise any other person as the party’s National Secretary except Senator Samuel Anyanwu.
According to him, there is an order staying the execution of the judgement of Enugu Division of Court of Appeal , which was delivered on December 20 last year that sacked Anyanwu as National Secretary, pending the hearing and determination of his appeal at the Supreme Court.
He said there is an interim injunction from a Federal High Court, Abuja, restraining PDP, the Board of Trustees (BoT) or the National Executive Committee (NEC), from removing Anyanwu or recognising anybody as National Secretary.
His words, “Similarly,we were yesterday (Thursday), served with a Stay of Execution Order by the Court of Appeal (Abuja division) in the judgment of this Court in appeal No CA/E/24/2024,between Peoples Democratic Party & anor V. Aniagu Emmanuel & 2 Ors. delivered on the 20th day of December,2024, pending the hearing and determination of the appeal filed at the supreme Court of Nigeria.
“This order comes with an injunction restraining the 1st Respondents,their agents,privies,or otherwise however described from enforcing or giving effect to the judgment of this Court delivered on the 20th day of December, 2024, pending the hearing and determination of the appeal filed at the supreme Court,both of which I hereby present for your kind note.
“In a ruling on the ex parte application, the Judge restrained the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP,, the Acting National Chairman, the National Executive Committee(NEC), the National Working Committee(NWC) and indeed the Board of Trustees(BoT) from removing the elected National Secretary of the party, Sen. Samuel Anyanwu, pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice, before.
“The Court also restrained the PDP, the Acting National Chairman, the National Executive Committee(NEC), the National Working Committee(NWC),the Board of Trustees(BoT),their privies,officers, agents or servants howsoever described from directing the Deputy National Secretary,Hon. Setonji Koshoedo or any other person to act as National Secretary of the PDP.
“The Order also restrained our Deputy National Secretary from issuing any notice of meetings of the National Executive Committee and National Working Committee, signing any document or performing any function of the National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, except in the absence of the National Secretary and when directed by the National Secretary to so act,pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice.
“The presiding Judge,Justice Yusuf Halilu further restrained all the defendants, their privies,officers,agents or servants howsoever described from truncating the tenure of office of the National Secretary, Sen Samuel Nnemeka Anyanwu in any manner pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on
Notice before it, which has been fixed for January 28, 2025”, he explained.
