The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has said it has been served with the court order recognising the former National Youth Leader, Sunday Ude-Okoye as its National Secretary.

Court of Appeal in Enugu had on December 20, affirmed the judgement of the High Court in December 2023, which sacked Senator Samuel Anyanwu as PDP National Secretary.

The enrolled order signed by Mrs Ajanwachukwu Rose, for Deputy Registered, sighted by Sunday Telegraph, declared Anyanwu’s appeal as “unmeritorious” and accordingly dismissed it at no cost.

The judgement was delivered by Justice R. M. Abdullahi.

Anyanwu had appealed against the Enugu High Court judgement, and on the strength of it, he had remained in office.

PDP National Publicity Secretary Debo Ologunagba told this newspaper that the certified true copy of the judgement of the Court of Appeal, which affirmed Ude-Okoye as the substantive National Secretary of the party, has been served on the party through the office of the National Legal Adviser.

“I have confirmed from the office of the National Legal Adviser that it has received the enrolled order of the judgment,” Ologunagba stated.

This newspaper gathered that “the judgement was received and acknowledged at the office of the National Legal Adviser at the PDP National Secretariat in Abuja on Tuesday, December 24, 2024.

“With acknowledgement of the Appeal Court judgement, the party now accepts Ude-Okoye as a replacement for Senator Samuel Anyanwu as the PDP National Secretary.”

The source claimed that Anyanwu had failed to obtain an order to stay the execution of the judgment ousting him from office.

According to Ologunagba, “The judgement is clear. PDP is a party of law and order.

“We are going to look at what the judgement says, and under the constitution of the country, the judgement of the court has to be obeyed.

“PDP is going to study the judgement and implement the order.”

Ude-Okoye had disclosed that the court judgement ordered him to assume office within 24 hours, but however stated that the party secretariat has closed for its annual vacation.

Said he, “I am PDP National Secretary because as it is today, there is no superior court judgement on the matter order than that of Court of Appeal.”