S/Court Judgement on Anyawu has empowered PDP NWC to sack him afresh – Ugochinyere

Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, Opposition Coalition Spokesperson, has reacted to the Supreme Court judgement that declared Samuel Anyanwu, a strong ally of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, as the National Secretary of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). Anyanwu and Sunday Ude-Okoye have been locked in a fierce battle for the position, causing division among the party […]

Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, Opposition Coalition Spokesperson, has reacted to the Supreme Court judgement that declared Samuel Anyanwu, a strong ally of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, as the National Secretary of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

Anyanwu and Sunday Ude-Okoye have been locked in a fierce battle for the position, causing division among the party stakeholders.

However, Ude-Okoye gathered support from different blocs of the party who based their action on the ruling of an Appeal Court sitting in Enugu.

The appellate court had affirmed the removal of Anyanwu by a Federal High Court in Enugu.

However, in a unanimous judgment on Friday, a five-member panel of the Apex Court said matters bordering on the leadership or membership of a political party is its internal affair and should not be the business of a court.

Reacting, Ugochinyere, in a statement, said all court actions by Anyawu, including new Interim orders, “are now baseless and should be ignored since the Supreme Court has ruled that internal party issues are not justifiable.”

The statement reads: “I have been told of the Supreme Court’s judgment, which held that internal party issues are not justiciable and that the issue of removal of Anyanwu should have been an internal party affair and should not have gone to the High Court and Appeal Court.

“Since the Supreme Court has held that political parties have the right to determine their leadership without recourse to the court, and since the PDP NWC has 18 officers, out of which those who want the impunity of Anyawu and Wike to end are in the majority with over 14 Solid National Officers out of 18 committed to rescuing the party.

“With this judgment, immediately the NWC meeting holds, and if it fails to hold, they should use their two-thirds to summon it and immediately, with their majority, invoke the powers of the NWC to Act on behalf of NEC/National Convention in situations of extreme emergencies like this that is threatening the party and suspend Ayanwu afresh from office and appoint an acting National Secretary. Since the Supreme Court judgment said issues of removal of officers are internal affairs that can’t go to court, the fresh removal of Anyawu will be irreversible even if he goes to court since the court has said that the removal of officer is an internal affair.

“The NWC can also call the report of the Ikimi disciplinary committee at the NWC meeting and immediately adopt it, and Anyawu stands removed.

“So to party members, there is no cause for alarm as the Judgement can’t bring Anyawu to be your secretary again, this judgment is also a weapon to end their madness.

“So, I commend the NWC members who have refused to be bought or compromised with Abuja Land to remain strong and immediately use their majority to suspend/expel Anyanwu and his father Wike to bring to an end all this madness that has reduced once vibrant PDP and opposition to a helpless state.”