A federal high court in Enugu has ordered the national working committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to recognise Sunday Udeh-Okoye as the party’s national secretary.
Ruling on a motion ex parte on Monday, Cyprian Ajah, the presiding judge, said the interim order would lapse after seven days.
The motion ex parte was filed on Friday by Anaigu Emmanuel, a member of the party.
The motion was brought pursuant to order 38 rule 1, order 39 rule 1 of high court rules of Enugu state 2020 and supported by a 23-paragraph affidavit deposed to by the applicant.
The defendants in the suit are the PDP; its national chairman Umar Damagun; Samuel Anyawu, national secretary, (on behalf of himself and the national executive working committee) and Ali Odefa, national vice chairman, of the south-east zone.
“The 2nd 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 1st defendant respondent; pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice,” the court held.
“That this order will lapse after seven (7) days from today in accordance with the rules of this court.”
The matter has been adjourned to October 30 for the hearing of the motion on notice.
In April, Anyanwu became the PDP’s gubernatorial candidate for the forthcoming November 11 election in Imo.
On Friday, the south-east zonal executive committee of the PDP nominated Udeh-Okoye to replace Anyanwu as the party’s national secretary.
In a communique, the south-east PDP said the unanimous decision was reached at a meeting attended by members across the zone.
Party members in the region argued that it would be a distraction for Anyanwu to assume the roles of national secretary and standard-bearer for the PDP in Imo.
The stakeholders resolved to forward Udeh-Okoye’s name, who hails from Enugu to the NWC of the party.
