An Enugu High Court has restrained the sacked National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Samuel Anyanwu, from parading himself as the party’s scribe, failure of which he risks being committed to prison.
The order, contained in a judgment delivered by the presiding judge, C.O. Ajah, stated: “Unless you (Anyanwu) obey the directions contained in this order, you will be guilty of contempt of court and liable to be committed to prison.”
The judgment, sighted by GOVIMA , was sequel to a case filed by Emmanuel Aniagu (plaintiff), with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the PDP Acting National Chairman, Iliya Umar Damagun, Anyanwu, and the PDP National Vice Chairman, Southeast, Ali Odefa, as defendants.
The court ordered: “The 3rd defendant (Anyanwu) was elected National Secretary of the 1st defendant (PDP) in 2021 and has remained so to date. As National Secretary, he is, by the provisions of the 1st defendant’s constitution, as well as the Electoral Guidelines for Primary Elections made by the National Executive Committee of the 1st defendant, empowered by the provisions of Sections 31(20)(j) and 50(1) of the 1st defendant’s 2017 constitution to:
– Draw up the list of members of the Gubernatorial Screening Committee for each of the six geopolitical zones of the 1st defendant when a decision on it is taken by the National Executive Committee.
– Write and sign, or cause to be written and signed, letters appointing individual members to the Gubernatorial Screening Committee for the six geopolitical zones of the party.
Draw up the list of members of the Gubernatorial Screening Appeal Panel to handle appeals from gubernatorial aspirants of the party in all states of the federation, when the decision on the list is taken by the National Executive Committee.
– Write and sign, or cause to be written and signed, letters appointing individuals as members of the Gubernatorial Screening Appeal Panel.
– Draw up the list of members of the State Gubernatorial Electoral Committee for each of the 36 states of the federation when the National Executive Committee takes a decision on the said list
Write and sign, or cause to be written and signed, letters appointing individuals as members of the State Gubernatorial Electoral Committee.
– Write and sign, or cause to be written and signed, letters appointing individuals as members of the Gubernatorial Electoral Appeal Panel when the National Executive Committee takes a decision on the membership.
“That the 3rd defendant has significant input in taking and implementing decisions on who will be adjudge eligible to contest the gubernatorial primaries and who shall be enthroned as the gubernatorial standard-bearer of the 1st defendant in all 36 states of the federation.
That the 3rd defendant was elected in April 2023 as the gubernatorial candidate of the 1st defendant for the Imo State governorship election, scheduled for November 2023, while still serving as the National Secretary of the 1st defendant.
“That by occupying both positions, the 3rd defendant made himself a judge in his own cause.
“That the 3rd defendant is hereby restrained from further parading himself as the National Secretary of the 1st defendant, having relinquished the said position by his conduct.
“That the 2nd defendant is hereby ordered to recognize, in all situations and for all purposes, Hon. S.K.E. Udeh Okoye (the person recommended by the Southeast Zonal Executive Committee of the 1st defendant) as the National Secretary of the 1st defendant, to enable him to serve out the remaining tenure for which the 3rd defendant was elected as National Secretary in 2021.
