PDP Crisis:  Anyanwu’s  resumption of office, attempt to self- help – Party 

…it is unfortunate that a former senator should  be a law breaker – Spokesman 

…’I ‘ve appealed A’Court judgement, gotten ‘stay of execution’ – sacked scribe 

By Tunde Opalana

The leadership crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) continue to fester as the sacked national secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu resumed office at the party’sxsecretariat on Monday.  

But the party described his resumption against the existing  verdict of an Appeal Court as unfortunate.

Reacting to Anyanwu’s appearance at his desk Monday morning, the National Publicity Secretary, Hon.Debo Ologunagba categorically stated that the party has “not received any stay of execution”. 

The spokesperson said “Anyanwu’s resumption is unfortunate; this is not the time for the party to go through this kind of embarrassing situation. We are a country of rule of law and order.

Questioning the claim by the embattled Anyanwu, he said “if you have a stay of execution, it’s a process. You have to serve the parties involved. As I said, the party, PDP, has not received either a notice of motion for a stay or been served a stay of execution. I don’t know where that is coming from, but the party has a process. 

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“When the document comes in, I will be made aware through the legal adviser. As we speak, I have no information at this time that the party has been served either a motion for stay or a stay of execution.

“I am not going to predict what the party will or will not do. I know very well that when you have a stay of execution, there’s a process. When you apply for a stay, there is a motion you must have filed and served before the court can listen to that motion and take action.

“As I speak to you, this party has not received a motion on notice for a stay application, nor, to my knowledge, has the party received a stay order granted by a court of competent jurisdiction.”

Speaking on the gravity of Anyanwu’s action and its implication for PDP, Ologunagba said “It’s just unfortunate that this drama is going on, but again, what is more condemnable is the attempt to resort to self-help. We have information about the activities of thugs from Niger State. We are privy to the communication involved, including the emails that were sent by bank transfer. We have details of that. All of these were done at the behest of Senator Anyanwu.

” It is unfortunate that a former senator should be a lawbreaker. There is a process; let’s agree on the rule of law. We have no personal issues with him. I don’t think the party has personal issues. He went to court and appealed the case but did not let the process proceed.

“As I’ve said before, we don’t do self-help. It’s a process. We are a law-and-order party. Because we are a law-and-order party, that is why we don’t act impulsively. We see the hand of the third force in this matter. We suspect that, unfortunately, some members of the party are being used by the ruling party to disturb us so that the party will have issues going into the next election because of the fundamental failure of the APC.

“Having said that, we are a party of law and order. We will follow through with the process. We don’t do self-help. We are not in the jungle.”

However, he said “PDP will continue to do what is in the interest of the party, in accordance with the law and the constitution. Don’t forget, the judgment granted is a declaratory judgment. That cannot be stayed. It’s clear.

“If they have applied for a stay, let the court decide one way or the other. And whatever the court decides, this party will abide by that.”

But Anyanwu in a short interview granted a few television stations upon resumption in office said he has not infringed on any law as he got a “stay of execution” on the subsisting Appeal Court judgement that sacked him.

He said “Well, as you can see, I am in the office, just like, you heard

last December, precisely the 20th of December, the appeal court in Enugu take a dissenting judgment. But as a matter of fact, what the law says is that I should appeal, and I appealed the matter, appeal for stay of  execution, an appeal to the Supreme Court. 

“Obviously what it means is  that the position will remain as it is until it is determined by the Supreme Court. Today is our resumption day. 

“What I have to say is that this party belongs to the people, not to an individual, not to a person, not to a group, but to the people. 

“Because this is the only party that took power away from the military and this party is in every family in Nigeria. 

“So I always ask for our party faithful to be strong, to remain firm with the party, and let’s work together ahead of 2027, it’s possible for us to get that presidency, which all of us have been suffering from and that’s why we’re here anyway.”

Waving aside the submission of the National Publicity Secretary, Anyanwu said “that is his opinion and not the opinion of the party. He only just made a statement, and as National Publicity Secretary of our party, I don’t want to disparage him on any medium. 

“Maybe he didn’t get the facts correct, or probably he never knew that the matter has been appealed, and it’s in the Supreme Court. “And he’s a lawyer, so he should understand that that is the position of the law.”

The Daily Times recalled  that Ologunagba on Sunday that the party 

 has accepted Honourable Sunday Udeh-Okoye as its National Secretary, replacing Senator Samuel Anyanwu, who still lays claim to the position. 

Ologunagba had said “The PDP firmly believes in abiding by the law and upholding democratic tenets’.

“There were two court orders and on December 24, 2023, after consultation with the PDP National Legal Adviser, it was confirmed that we have received the judgment on the appeal affirming Hon S. K. Udeh-Okoye, as the National Secretary of the party; we are a rule of law compliant party, we believe in this finality of the judicial process.

“We have always respected judicial pronouncement and we will always abide by that culture; the position of the party has not changed to that; in consistence with our position in the past as rule of law compliant party, we are obeying the order of court; we will follow the processes and ensure full compliance with the pronouncement of the Court of Appeal. 

“We have received the judgment of the Court of Appeal that affirmed, Right Honorable S. K. E. Udeh-  Okoye, as National Secretary of PDP as as a party, we are bound by that judgment because it’s the judgment from the highest court to date”.

Trouble started ahead of the November 2023 Imo Stare governorship election when Senator Samuel Anyanwu refused to relinquish his position as PDP national secretary after emerging as the party’s governorship candidate. 

Anyanwu, after losing election returned back to his seat at the PDP headquarters, a development that was questioned by some party loyalists. 

The PDP leadership, particularly the National Working Committee backed Anyanwu’s return to position as party scribe.

However, a clique under the umbrella of the South East Caucus declared Anyanwu’s seat vacant and recommended  SK Udeh- Okoye, former National Youth Leader to the party to occupy the position of national secretary.

The Caucus approached the court to pursue the onerous demand and an high court verdict sacked Anyanwu who in turn gotten a reinstatement through a court of same jurisdiction.

The matter dragged on till last December when a Court of Appeal sacked the former national  secretary.