The National Secretary of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Samuel Anyanwu, has written the Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, against the decision taken by PDP governors in Asaba, Delta State on Friday.
The governors had in a communiqué issued at the end of the meeting, directed PDP National Working Committee (NWC) to set up the machinery in motion for the implementation of the Enugu division of the Court of Appeal judgement that recognised Sunday Ude-Okoye as the National Secretary of the party.
But Anyanwu in the letter, said the governor’s decision was against his appeal pending at the Supreme Court against judgement, and the stay of execution granted by the Abuja division of Court of Appeal on January 13.
The Court of Appeal, according to him, directed parties in the dispute to maintain status quo ante bellum pending the determination of the substantive application.
“The order accordingly was duly served on all parties concerned including the National Working Committee of PDP and INEC,” he stated.
Anyanwu said it is a settled matter in law that when a judgement is appealed against a superior court, all parties will maintain the status quo ante bellum till the matter is finally determined.
“The governors cannot claim ignorance of this position of law before issuing their statement which runs in conflict with the court decision,” he stated.
He alleged that Ude-Okoye, on Wednesday, January 29, based on “Ill-advised of his cohorts, invaded the PDP national secretariat, the venue of the PDP Board of Trustees (BoT) meeting, with hired thugs and bandits to unleash attacks intended to disrupt the meeting for which he is not a member.
“That action was completely unlawful and in total disregard to the judiciary and the rule of law.”
Anyanwu described it as saddening that PDP governors “allowed themselves to be deceived by the sponsors of Ude-Okoye,” whom, he claimed “are already facing criminal investigations by the police against the forged PDP guidelines which they used to mislead the courts in securing the ill-fated judgements.”
He drew the police’s attention to dangers that would ensue in the attempt of the NWC to implement the advice of the PDP Governors Forum as contained in paragraph 3 of the communiqué.
“It will be an invitation to chaos and affront to the judiciary and the rule of law especially when the matter is pending before the superior courts for determination,” he said.
The National Secretary called on Egbetokun, to take necessary steps to forestall the crisis allegedly being instigated by the PDP governors and to advise the NWC to refrain from any action that would be contrary to the position of the court on the matter.
“It is my right as a lawful citizen to seek justice against a judgement that was fraudulently secured against me.
“In the interest of peace, safety of lives and property of innocent Nigerians all parties to this case should be cautioned to conduct themselves in line with the rule of law and decision of the Court of Appeal to maintain status quo ante bellum pending the hearing and determination of the motion.
“Anything contrary to this will be vehemently resisted. I still remain the validly elected National Secretary of PDP until the court rules otherwise,” he declared.
