An Enugu State High Court sitting in Enugu has ordered the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to replace Senator Samuel Anyanwu as the party’s National Secretary.
Anyanwu is also the PDP governorship candidate for the forthcoming election in Imo State.
The order was granted following a motion on notice filed by Nwabueze Ugwu.
Ugwu was seeking the court to declare Senator Anyanwu’s seat vacant due to his current position as the candidate of the party in next month’s governorship election in Imo state.
While ruling on the motion on notice, the court compelled the defendants in the suit- the PDP national chairman, the PDP national secretary, and the national vice chairman, south-east to recognise Sunday Udeh-Okoye as the candidate recommended by the South-East Zonal Executive Committee to replace Anyanwu pending the determination of the motion on notice.
The presiding judge, Justice C.O Ajah held that the motion on notice was brought under order 38 rule 1, order 39 rule 1 of High Court rules of Enugu State 2020, supported by 23-paragraph affidavits deposed to by the applicant.
Justice Ajah ordered as follows,
“That an Interim Order is hereby granted as prayed.
“That the 2 Defendant/Respondent is hereby ordered to recognize within 24 hours of the service of this order on him, HON. S.K.E. UDEH-OKOYE (the person recommended by the South East Zonal Executive Committee of the 1” Defendant /Respondent; pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice.
“That this Order will lapse after seven (7) days from today in accordance with the Rules of this Court. That the matter is adjourned to 30/10/2023 for the hearing of the Motion on Notice.”
The PDP, southeast zone, last weekend, unanimously nominated the former PDP National Youth Leader, Hon. Sunday Udeh-Okoye as the new party National Secretary.
The party’s National Vice Chairman, South-East Zone, Chief Ali Odefa, who read a communique after the meeting, had explained that the decision was to allow Senator Anyanwu to concentrate on his electioneering campaign in Imo state.