From Victor Osula, Abuja
The Federal High Court in Abuja has declined an ex-parte motion seeking to restrain the Independent National Electoral Commission from recognising Sunday Udeh-Okoye as the substantive National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party.
Justice Inyang Edem Ekwo, who ruled on the application on Wednesday, refused the request filed by Senator Samuel Anyanwu, who sought to stop INEC from effecting his removal as PDP’s National Secretary.
The dispute between Anyanwu and Udeh-Okoye over the PDP National Secretary position has seen conflicting court rulings. The Court of Appeal in Enugu, on December 20, 2024, affirmed Udeh-Okoye’s nomination as National Secretary.
However, the Abuja Division of the appellate court later granted a stay of execution, directing both parties to maintain the status quo pending the outcome of Anyanwu’s appeal at the Supreme Court.
Despite the legal standoff, the PDP’s National Working Committee last week officially recognised Udeh-Okoye as National Secretary in compliance with directives from the Board of Trustees and the PDP Governors’ Forum.
Unrelenting, Anyanwu filed an ex-parte motion on Wednesday, urging the court to restrain INEC or any of its agents from receiving or acting on any correspondence from the PDP unless it was signed by him.
His counsel, K.C.O. Njemanze (SAN), also sought an order preventing Ambassador Umar Damagun, the PDP’s Acting National Chairman, from forwarding any party-related documents to INEC without Anyanwu’s signature.
However, Justice Ekwo refused to grant the request, ruling instead that INEC and Damagun must be put on notice regarding the existence of the suit.
Following his ruling, Justice Ekwo adjourned the matter to February 24 for further proceedings.
