PDP Disciplinary Committee States Case Against Anyanwu

Indications emerged on Wednesday why the Disciplinary Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) summoned the party’s ousted National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu.

Anyanwu, who was slated to appear before the committee on Wednesday, however, did not show up, citing an appointment with his doctors on account of ill health.

Giving an insight into the case against Anyanwu, a member of the Disciplinary Committee told The Whistler that the former National Secretary was summoned for misleading members of the public with false claims about the position of National Secretary.

The member, who did not want his identity disclosed because he was not mandated to speak on the matter, said Anyanwu had brought the party into disrepute with his recent conduct.

He said Anyanwu has deliberately been misrepresenting an Order of the Court of Appeal, Abuja, ordering the maintenance of status quo ante bellum in the case between him and Sunday Udeh-Okoye.

The source said legal experts engaged by the leadership of the PDP, had clarified that the status quo ante bellum, ordered by the Appeal Court, Abuja on January 13, 2025, referred to the earlier order of the Court of Appeal, Enugu Division on December 24, 2024, which affirmed Udeh-Okoye as National Secretary.

“After studying all the court documents submitted to them by Anyanwu and Udeh-Okoye, the legal experts made it clear to the two men that in the eyes of the law, Udeh-Okoye remained the National Secretary until the case is decided otherwise by the Supreme Court.

“So Anyanwu was fully aware of the position of the law, yet he kept fomenting trouble in the party with deliberate false claims to the position of National Secretary.

“It was on the strength of these deliberate false claims that he instigated violence against Udeh-Okoye at the national secretariat during the 27th January meeting of the BoT.

“So the Disciplinary Committee, of which I am a member, considered his actions reckless and unbecoming of a person of his standing in the party.

“We consider Anyanwu’s actions as capable of worsening the existing leadership crisis in the party which stakeholders are working hard to resolve,”
the source said.

When asked what sanctions the committee intends to impose on him, the source said he would not preempt the decision of the committee.

The Disciplinary Committee had on Wednesday, waited in vain for hours at the PDP’s Legacy House for Anyanwu to show up.

Briefing journalists after the close of the uneventful session, the committee’s chairman, Chief Tom Ikimi, said Anyanwu had communicated his indisposition to the panel citing health challenges.

During the briefing, Ikimi referred to Anyanwu as “former National Secretary”, aligning with the position earlier taken by the PDP Governors Forum and the BoT on the matter.

Ikimi said the invitation to Anyanwu had been extended to 4th March to allow him to attend to his health challenges.

On the immediate past governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, who was also invited by the committee but who did not show up, Ikimi said Ortom claimed not to have received the panel’s invite although it was sent through courier service with proof of delivery.

Like Anyanwu, Ortom also is slated to appear before the committee on 4th March.