The Concerned PDP League (CPDPL), said it’s appalling the calculated and deliberate attempt by the infamous National Publicity Secretary (NPS) of the party Honourable Debo Olugunagba to misinterpret the Supreme Court unanimous judgement delivered on Friday 21st March, 2025 affirming senator Samuel Nnaemeka Anyanwu as the National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
In statement by Comrade Daboikiabo Z Warmate, the Apex leader of the Concerned PDP League (CPDPL), said it is important to correct the lies and wrong narrative that Debo Olugunagba, the PDP National Publicity Secretary is spreading, which can also be classified as contempt of court.
He said as a stockholder of PDP that was present at the Supreme Court, and sat horizontally facing their lordships, he can authoritatively say that their lord justices affirmed senator S. N. Anyanwu, as the authentic National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as against the lies and misleading press release by Debo Olugunagba, who was neither at the Supreme Court nor has read the certified true copy (CTC) of the Supreme Court judgment, which is not yet out.
According to him, on February 12, 2025, Hon. Debo Olugunagba in a press statement Said, “The NWC in considering the Memo thoroughly examined the attached documents namely; the Declaratory Judgement of the High Court of Enugu, the Judgment of the Court of Appeal, Enugu Division which pronounced and declared Rt. Hon. S.K.E Udeh Okoye as the National Secretary of the PDP…”
“..the NWC overwhelmingly recognizes, acknowledges and confirms Rt. Hon. S.K.E Udeh Okoye as the substantive National Secretary of the PDP in full compliance with and obedience to the Judgement of the Court of Appeal, recognizing that there is no subsisting or superseding Judgment or Order from any Court of superior authority or hierarchy.” In other words, they relied on the judgment that was procured with forged documents (PDP Congress Guideline) right!”
After the Supreme Court judgement pronounced Senator Samuel Nnaemeka Anyanwu, as the authentic National Secretary on Friday 21st March, 2025, the National Publicity Secretary (NPS) Debo Olunulagba in an attempt to misinterpret and misrepresent their lordships judgement said and I quote, ” For clarity, the NWC at its 576th meeting held on the 11th of October, 2023, directed the South East Zonal Executive Committee to nominate a replacement for Senator Samuel Anyanwu upon Senator Anyanwu’s nomination as the governorship candidate of the PDP to contest the November 2023 Governorship election in Imo State.”
“In his February 12th, 2025 press release he relied on the Enugu State high court declarative judgment and court of appeal Enugu division judgement to recognize Sunday Udeh-Okoye and in his March 21st, 2025, press statement he no longer relied on the court judgement again but relied on a purported NWC resolution to recognize Sunday Udeh-Okoye, the question is, at what point did Debo Olunulagba and his pay masters stop relying and obeying court judgements to relying on a purported NWC resolution?
According to Warmate, supreme is the highest court of the land and has given Judgement in favour of Senator Anwanwu.
“Debo and his cohort should respect the sanctity of the judiciary by complying fully with the supreme judgment as delivered on Friday 21st March, 2025”. He said.
.”Section 47(5) and 48(1) of the PDP constitution as amended in 2017, gives nodes to Senator Samuel Nnaemeka Anyanwu, the right to contest any election without resigning, having not assumed the office of the position contested for, as such, the National Secretary position was never vacant to have warranted the NWC to meet and ask the South East zone to nominate someone because, Senator S. N. Anyanwu, never resigned his position as National Secretary.
He noted that, “the Supreme Court justices while describing Sunday Udey Okoye, as a meddlesome interloper, berated the lower and trial courts for not recusing themselves from the matter knowing fully well that, they lack jurisdiction and went further to describe the appeal court lead judgement as perverse. They accused the lower court of improper evaluation of the evidence before them and that, it’s not justiciable for the court to interfere in the internal party affairs of a political party and it’s no go areas. It’s outside the court and should not be the business of the court. That jurisdiction is the lifewire of any case in a court.”
Comrade Warmate added that the Supreme Court justices said: “Senator Samuel Nnameka Anyanwu appeal is grossly meritorious and is here by allowed by this court and the erudite reasons postulated in the lead judgement of the supreme court. And described the minority judgment of Hon. Joseph Eyo Ekanem JCA of the lower court (Appeal Court Enugu division) which amongst others set aside the decision of the trial court and awarded cost of one million naira against the plaintiff/1st Respondent as erudite judgement and upheld it. They struck out the judgment of both the trial court and the lead judgment of the lower court (appeal court Enugu division), describing it as a perverse judgement but upheld Senator Samuel Nnameka Anyanwu’s appeal and by that he remains the authentic National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The only he can be removed as national secretary is with a vote of no confidence in a national convention as prescribed by section 47 (3) of PDP constitution as amended in 2017.
“If not for insanity in dues by financial incentive, how could someone like Debo Olugunagba say that, a supreme court judgement that upheld all the grounds of appeal of the most distinguished Senator S. N. Anyanwu, and the erudite minority judgement delivered by Hon. J. E. Ekanem of the court of appeal, Enugu division, that favours Sen. S. N. Anyanwu, affirm Hon. Sunday Udeh-Okoye as national secretary?
The PDP Group urges PDP members in Nigeria and diaspora and the general public to disregard the lies being told by the infamous NPS Debo Olugunagba, and his co traveller, Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, the sole administrator of the sole proprietorship coalition of opposition lawmakers businesses.
He use the opportunity to congratulate Senator Samuel Nnaemeka Anyanwu, for the resounding victory that has silence the destructive elements and render their efforts to destroy PDP fruitless.
He called on those who have the interest of the party at heart to join hands with the authentic national secretary, Senator Samuel Nnaemeka Anyanwu to move the PDP forward”.