“PDP Secretary Battle: Anyanwu Defends Legality of His Actions Amid Party Crisis”
The ongoing battle for control of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has taken a dramatic turn as the embattled National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, insists that his recent appearance at the party’s secretariat in Abuja was entirely lawful.
In a telephone interview with Saturday Telegraph on Friday, Anyanwu reaffirmed his stance that only the courts have the authority to resolve the leadership dispute within the party. This statement comes after his appearance at the PDP National Secretariat on Thursday, despite a recent Court of Appeal ruling that affirmed Sunday Ude-Okoye as his replacement.
Anyanwu, who is currently at odds with Ude-Okoye, rejected the legitimacy of the appellate court’s judgment, which was further ratified by the PDP’s Board of Trustees (BoT) and the Governors’ Forum. Additionally, Ude-Okoye had been endorsed by the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) in a meeting earlier this week.
Despite this support for Ude-Okoye, Anyanwu appeared at his desk on Thursday, prompting widespread questions about his decision to continue claiming the position. Responding to these concerns, Anyanwu firmly stated that his actions were within legal boundaries, asserting that he had not violated any laws.
“The matter is in court, and we have to wait for the outcome of the legal processes. I have a stay of execution,” Anyanwu said, emphasizing that the ongoing dispute should be settled through judicial channels rather than by party organs like the Governors’ Forum or the BoT, which he argued lack authority in this matter.
He pointed out that the ruling of the Appeal Court called for the maintenance of the status quo, meaning no actions should be taken by the parties involved until the case is fully resolved. According to Anyanwu, the PDP governors are disregarding the rule of law to interpret the situation in a way that benefits their interests.
Anyanwu also dismissed the legal opinion given by the party’s National Legal Officer, Kamaldeen Ajibade, which recognized Ude-Okoye as the rightful Secretary. Anyanwu argued that such opinions are advisory and not legally binding.
When asked for a comment on the matter, the PDP’s National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Debo Ologunagba, reiterated that the NWC had already made a decision in favor of Ude-Okoye, and no further changes had been made since then. “As I said before, the National Working Committee has already affirmed Ude-Okoye’s position. Anything else being said elsewhere is irrelevant,” Ologunagba added.
With both sides entrenched in their positions, the legal battle over the PDP National Secretary’s seat looks set to continue, leaving the party’s leadership crisis unresolved for the time being.
