Sunday Ude-Okoye has been affirmed as the authentic PDP National Secretary amid controversy.
NewsOnline Nigeria reports that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has affirmed Sunday Ude-Okoye as the party’s authentic National Secretary in compliance with a Court of Appeal order.
The position of the party was made public on Tuesday by the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, while fielding questions from newsmen at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja.
He submitted that the PDP is in receipt of a Court of Appeal ruling affirming Ude-Okoye as the National Secretary and as a law-abiding party, they intend to carry out the dictates of the court fully.
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“I’m sure you know the background to all the cases where we have two cases, two orders and then there was the court of appeal. And on 24th of December, 2024, after consultation with the legal adviser, the office of the legal adviser, it was confirmed that we have received the judgement of the two appeals affirming Rt.Hon S.K.E Ude-Okoye as the national secretary of the party.
“We are a rule-of-law compliant party, we believe in the finality of the judicial process, we’ve always respected judicial pronouncements, and we will always abide by court judgements.
“We will, as a party, consistent with our position in the past as a rule of law complaint, we will obey the order of court, we will follow the processes, and ensure full compliance to the pronouncement of the court of appeal because that is the position as at today.
“So that is what it is, and I hope that clarifies, if there is any ambiguity at all.
“As a party, we are rule-of-law compliant, we have received the judgement of the court of appeal that has affirmed Rt. Hon S.K.E Ude-Okoye as the national secretary of PDP and we as a party are bound by that judgement because it is the highest judgement today. And we will take appropriate action as required of a responsible political party to ensure that that position of the law is complied with,” Ologunagba said.
The declaration effectively lays to rest the claims by Senator Samuel Anyanwu to the National Secretary seat of the PDP.
Recall that the ongoing leadership crisis within the PDP took a dramatic turn when Ude-Okoye proclaimed himself the party’s National Secretary, citing a recent Court of Appeal judgment.
The development follows the judgment of the Court of Appeal, Enugu Division, which affirmed the nomination of former PDP National Youth Leader, Ude-Okoye, as a replacement for Anyanwu, as national secretary, by the South East chapter of the PDP.
The South East PDP had, at a meeting in Enugu in 2023, nominated the former national youth leader as a replacement for Anyanwu following the latter’s nomination as the party’s candidate in the 2023 Imo State governorship election.
According to leaders of the PDP in the zone, Anyanwu ceased to be national secretary the moment he emerged as the party’s standard bearer for the last Imo gubernatorial contest.
The Court of Appeal, Enugu Division, on December 20, 2024, upheld the judgment of an Enugu High Court that affirmed Udo-Okoye as Anyanwu’s replacement.