The internal crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) reached a climax on Monday as Senator Samuel Anyanwu reclaimed his position as the party’s National Secretary.
Security operatives, including police and other agencies, were deployed to Wadata Plaza, the party’s national secretariat in Abuja, to prevent the situation from escalating into violence.
Earlier in the day, a group of youth protesters gathered outside the PDP secretariat, holding placards with messages such as “No vacancy in the National Secretary’s office” and “Senator Sam Anyanwu remains the National Secretary”.
The protesters expressed their opposition to Hon. Sunday Ude-Okoye’s attempt to assume the office of the National Secretary.
Anyanwu arrived at the secretariat and resumed his duties in the office he has held since his election in 2021.
Addressing the controversy, he issued a stern warning to PDP National Working Committee members and state governors who do not support him, stating:
“Any act or person that dares to undermine my position and duty as the National Secretary will not be condoned”, he said.
Referring to a recent Appeal Court judgement in Enugu concerning the National Secretary position, Anyanwu said: “In Nigeria, the general rule is that when an application for a stay of execution has been filed and is pending, the judgment cannot be enforced until the application is determined”.
The situation remains tense as the party grapples with internal divisions and attempts to resolve the leadership tussle.
“According to the Nigerian Court of Appeal, in the case of Ogbunyanwa V. Okudo (2013) LPELR20815 (CA), “once an application for stay of execution is filed and pending, it operates as a bar to the execution of the judgment, pending the determination of the application”.
“Similarly, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in the case of A.-G., Federation V. S. P. D. C. Nig. Ltd. (2014) LPELR-23143% (SC), held that “where an application for stay of execution is pending, the judgment creditor is restrained from executing the judgement until the application is determined”.
“An exception to this general rule is when the application for a stay of execution is deemed abandoned or withdrawn; then the judgement can be enforced. In this instance, my application for the stay of execution has been filed and is pending in court for determination.
“In addition, the judgement has been appealed in the Supreme Court with a case number assigned. I have not in any way shown a loss of interest in prosecuting the case; as a result, my position as National Secretary of the Party remains sacrosanct.
“Anybody or group of persons wishing to subvert this provision of the law is therefore cautioned to refrain from such; we are believed to be law-abiding citizens and should conduct ourselves with the utmost decorum.
“Any act that tends to suggest otherwise or is calculated to derelict my position and duty as the National Secretary will not be condoned; let anyone who lacks knowledge seek it and be properly guided.
“I make a solemn appeal for peace, unity, and progress of our dear party”, Anyanwu stated.
The second contender for the position of PDP National Secretary, Udeh-Okoye did not visit the office, and he declined to respond to text messages sent by The Nation. However, the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Barrister Debo Ologunagba, is among those leading the mobilisation of support for Udeh-Okoye, fired back with a statement saying that the current situation is ‘unfortunate’.
Ologunagba expressed doubt over the claims and logic in Anyanwu’s statement.
“We have not received any stay of execution; Anyanwu’s resumption is unfortunate; this is not the time for the party to go through this kind of embarrassing situation.
“PDP has not received either a notice of motion for a stay or been served 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.
“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 and bank transfers – we have details of that.
“All of these were done at the behest of Senator Anyanwu; unfortunately, a former Senator should not 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.
“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.
“PDP will continue to do what is in the interest of the party, following 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,” Ologunagba, who had led Udeh-Okoye to visit some PDP state governors over the past few weeks, stated.
