January 13, (THEWILL) – The embattled National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Samuel Anyanwu, resumed office on Monday, following the appeal of the judgement removing him as the party’s Secretary.
Anyanwu arrived at the party’s National secretariat in Abuja, at about 10:56 am on Monday.
Speaking to newsmen, Anyanwu dismissed a statement credited to the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba.
Ologunagba had confirmed to reporters that the party had received the Appeal Court judgement recognising Sunday Okoye, as the National Secretary.
“That is his opinion. It’s not the opinion of the party. As National Publicity Secretary of the party, I wouldn’t want to disparage him. Maybe he didn’t get the facts correctly. I have appealed”, he said.
Legal experts said Anyanwu’s decision to resume office is in order, having filed a stay of execution and an appeal before the Supreme Court.
“The general rule is that when an application for a stay of execution has been filed and is pending, the judgement cannot be enforced until the application is determined”, said a senior lawyer who did not want his name in print.
Citing the case of OGBUNYANWA V. OKUDO (2013) LPELR-20815(CA), he noted, “Once an application for stay of execution is filed and pending, it operates as a bar to the execution of the judgement, pending the determination of the application.”
The south-east chapter of the PDP had nominated Sunday Ude-Okoye as National Secretary to replace Anyanwu after he emerged as the party’s governorship candidate in Imo State.
The Court of Appeal, Enugu Division, had on December 20, 2024, affirmed the nomination of former PDP National Youth Leader, Sunday Ude-Okoye, as a replacement for Anyanwu as national secretary.
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