NATIONAL SECRETARY: WHY PDP CANNOT AFFORD TO DISOBEY THE ORDER OF JUSTICE C.O AJAH

By Tonye Barcanista

In October 2023, the Honorable Justice C.O Ajah of Enugu State High Court issued an interim order for the acting National Chairman of the PDP and other relevant organs to recognize Rt. Hon. SKE Udeh-Okoye as the National Secretary of the Party in line with the resolution of the Southeast Zonal Executive Committee. The PDP refused to obey the order.

Days later, the same Justice Ajah issued a fresh order to reinforce the earlier order that was not complied with, but the PDP Acting National Chairman and the NWC failed to comply with it.

On Tuesday, November 7th, 2023, the same Honorable Justice Ajah issued a fresh order that include the following (all wordings mine):

1. That the PDP recognizes Rt. Hon. SKE Udeh-Okoye as its National Secretary.

2. That Senator Samuel Anyanwu should ceased from parading himself as the Party's National Secretary nor should he function in such capacity.

3. That the PDP be served by pasting the orders and all processes at the gate of its National Secretariat, Wadata Plaza, Zone 5, Abuja.

4. That Senator Samuel Anyanwu be served the order and all processes through his counsel

5. That the case is adjourned till November 27th, 2023 for hearing.

6. That the order subsists except a Court of Appeal vacates it.

These orders are not what the Party can choose to disobey nor ignore as the consequences may be far reaching. It may cost the Party in Edo and Ondo gubernatorial elections that are scheduled for 2024. It could also cost the Party the 2026 governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun state, as well as the 2027 General election. Can PDP afford this gamble? NO!

If for anything, the Party should learn from the recent calamity that befell us in Plateau State where we lost our NASS seats (in addition to previous losses) simply because the Party failed to honor the order of a court.

For those that may be unaware of the Plateau event, below is the summary:

Sometime in 2020, Justice S.P Gang of Plateau State High Court nullified the PDP Congress in Plateau State that elected Chris Hassan led Executive, and ordered the PDP NWC to conduct a fresh process. The Justice entered the judgement in response to a suit filed by Bitrus Kaze and some other members of the PDP in the state supposedly loyal to Gen. Jeremiah Oseni group.

The PDP NWC, instead of to comply with the Court order by conducting a fresh Congress, took the shortcut of appointing a Caretaker Executive. For failure to comply with the order, the PDP was barred by the High Court up to the Supreme Court from participating at the Plateau State Council Election that was held on November 2021. In March 2022, Hon. Musa Agah, the candidate of the PDP successfully won the Byeelection of Jos North/Bassa Federal Constituency, but the Election Tribunal nullified the victory in favor of Hon. Adamu Muhammad Alkali of PRP citing disobedience to the Justice Gang order. The ruling of the Tribunal was upheld by the Court of Appeal.

Only last week, the PDP NASS members from Plateau state lost their seats in the National Assembly at the Court of Appeal to candidates of other parties that came second based on not having a properly constituted State Executive simply because the PDP NWC failed to comply with Justice Gang order of 2020.

May I also add that the APC in Rivers was disqualified from participating in the 2019 general election for failing to redo a Ward Congress as ordered by a Rivers State High Court.

Tonye Barcanista

https://twitter.com/TonyeBarcanista/status/1722628475671191588?s=19