Leadnaija
A group supporting the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), known as PDP Frontiers for Change and Progress, has responded to accusations made by Senator Samuel Anyanwu, the party’s National Secretary. Anyanwu had blamed Senator Adolphus Wabara, the PDP Board of Trustees (BoT) Chairman, and some PDP governors for his ongoing political problems.
The accusations stemmed from his belief that Wabara and the governors were responsible for inviting Chief Sunday Ude-Okoye to the party’s recent BoT meeting in Abuja, which Anyanwu felt was part of a plot against him.Tap Here for the Full Story
According to a report by Vanguard News, The pro-PDP group, through a statement issued by its National Coordinator, Ikpegbu Yellow, who is also a former commissioner of the Abia State Oil Producing Development Commission (ASOPADEC), addressed Anyanwu’s claims. The group said that Anyanwu’s problems were the result of his own desire for power rather than any wrongdoing by Wabara or the governors.
According to them, Anyanwu’s attempts to hold onto the position of National Secretary, despite contesting the Imo State governorship election, violated the PDP’s constitution. The group made it clear that the party’s rules must be followed without exception.
The statement read: “The Constitution of PDP is sacrosanct, and party members and officials cannot choose which provisions to obey. The constitution clearly states that if a political appointee or party officer desires to contest an election, they must resign or vacate their office.”
The group pointed out that by contesting the governorship election, Anyanwu automatically vacated his position as National Secretary of the party. They emphasized that resignation can be inferred from actions or conduct, and it is not required that a formal resignation letter be written. This, they argued, was a clear violation of party rules.
The group also addressed Anyanwu’s claims about writing a leave application to the Acting Chairman of PDP, Ambassador Damagun, in order to contest the election. They refuted this by stating: “The PDP constitution does not permit a leave application for an officer seeking to vacate office for an election. Such a request is illegitimate and has no legal basis.” The group clarified that once Anyanwu contested the election, the PDP’s rules had automatically taken effect, and his position was already vacant.
Furthermore, the group dismissed Anyanwu’s assertion about a Court of Appeal stay of execution. They explained that filing an appeal or seeking a stay of execution does not automatically nullify a court judgment, especially in cases where a declaratory judgment has been made. “Ude-Okoye became the National Secretary from the moment the Court of Appeal in Enugu Division ruled in his favor. Therefore, the status quo to be maintained is that Ude-Okoye remains the National Secretary of PDP,” the group stated.
PDP Frontiers for Change and Progress also praised Senator Wabara and the PDP governors for respecting the court judgment and adhering to the party’s constitution. They expressed approval of Wabara’s decision to invite Ude-Okoye to the BoT meeting, calling it a responsible action. They also supported the governors’ decision to recognize Ude-Okoye as the new National Secretary, stating that their unified support for Ude-Okoye validated Wabara’s decision.
The group called on Anyanwu to stop making unwarranted attacks against the party’s leadership. They urged him to respect the party’s rules and move forward in accordance with the constitution, rather than creating division and conflict within the party.
