30/05/2025
THE HIDDEN TRUTH ABOUT PEOPLES DEMOCRATIC PARTY AND SEN. SAMUEL ANYANWU AS NATIONAL SECRETARY.
By Willie Amadi,✨ LL.B, BL, LL.M, Ph.D-(i.v)
I wonder if the Governors Forum of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP realises that they have practically and politically shot themselves on the foot by convening a fathom NEC meeting of the party without the legal notice from the incumbent National Secretary of the party. I am really upset about this childish display and grandstanding in the PDP, because as a former 1st State Vice-Chairman and Chairman, Owerri Senatorial Zone who joined the party in the year 2000, I have emotional concerns for this party that provided and nurtured the platform for my success in politics, besides having many friends and allies still in the party.
What used to bother me is the audacious penchant for manipulation and violation of the laws of this country by both the political, apolitical, opposition parties and the leadership of the country at all levels using the Judiciary whenever they are in distress.
As a lawyer and Barrister-at-Politics, I am aware that there are definite rules and regulations that guide every human endeavor including governance in both public and private entities. The political parties have their constitution which regulates the day to day administration and decision making processes.
PDP which used to be the biggest and largest political party in Nigeria from where members of these other and newer parties originated from, have a well worded and clearly defined constitutional provisions which have been in use over the years as circumstances demanded.
The 2017 PDP constitution, which was the operative constitution that guided the 2019 general election processes under Section 47, sub-section 5 provides inter alia;
"Any officer elected into the Executive Committee at any level of the party MAY resign his or her office thirty-days in writing to the appropriate Executive Committee, except in the case of resignation for the purpose of vying for an elective office which shall be effective within the period stipulated in the guideline issued for such elective office by the National Executive Committee of the party, or State Executive Committee in respect of Local Government elections."
When you interpret this section legally, politically and not morally against the backdrop, it gives an executive member of the party at all levels the DISCRETION to RESIGN from the office he is holding, if he or she wants to contest for any office in a general elections. The word MAY is discretionary and not mandatory since the framers of the constitution did not use the word SHALL. Therefore, the balance of convenience in that decision lies on the office holder who may or may not resign before going to contest the election. In this case, the adversaries of the National Secretary, Sen. Samuel Anyanwu never presented to either the court or the general public, a copy of the letter of resignation signed by Sen. Anyanwu as a basis for requesting him to vacate the office. Secondly, after Sen. Anyanwu lost the governorship election in Imo State in 2023, he returned to his office at Wadata plaza to a heroic welcome by his party, albeit the NEC, BOT, Governors Forum and the National Working Committee and have been discharging his functions, signing nomination forms for candidates of his party for both general and bye elections across the country till date. The Ondo and Edo governorship elections nomination forms submitted to INEC were signed by him including the recent Anambra State Governorship election form to INEC slated later this year, he, as the secretariat coordinated the conduct of State and Ward congresses nation-wide, he, as National Secretary issued the notice and participated in the 98th NEC meeting last year and has continued to administer the Secretariat of the party.
So my question following the above serial validation by the under-listed organs of the party namely, the Governors Forum and the National Working Committee, BOT etc, etc .
WHAT HAS CHANGED ?🤔
This is the key to the HIDDEN TRUTH. It is this hidden truth that will either make or mar a once great, grassroot and people oriented party that boasts of atleast one membership of every family in Nigeria.
UNVEILING THE HIDDEN TRUTH.
The various groups namely Damagun who is also a suspect, Secondus, Atiku, Saraki, Gov Bala, Makinde, are all propelled by their selfish Presidential and Governorship ambitions using Sen. Samuel Anyanwu' case as a cannon forder to fight their proxy war, but knowingly and unknowingly, they are freely preparing a delicious hot pot of "ógbònò-ewedu soup" for PBAT to swallow his 2027 election amala. This is the local common denominator (LCM) for APC come 2027.
Regrettably, the PDP as presently constituted, unfortunately, will never be the same again. Not in this administration of a man who makes magic out of the toughest political contraption, judging from his exploits during the military and NADECO days and also as the Governor of Lagos State and recently the Ĕmilo kan miracle of damas in the 2023 Presidential primary and general elections.
THE IMPLICATIONS OF THE ILLEGAL NEC MEETING ORGANISED BY THE GOVERNORS FORUM.
The constitution of the party is very clear on the procedure for convening NEC MEETINGS and the circumstances where such meeting could be held without the express conveyance of notice in writing and or the absence of the National Secretary of the party, who by law, issues and signs notice of NEC meetings.
Instructively, the Governors Forum, not been an organ of the party recognized by the constitution obviously lacks the legal impetus or powers to except funding arrange, direct and announce the programmes of the party including summoning of NEC meetings as announced by the eloquent Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State after their retreat in Ibadan, Oyo State. Their decision or communique therefore, amounts to absolutely nothing but rather a display of gross ignorance and power drunkenness, to say the least.
The legal effect of all these shenanigans of course, is that the purported NEC meeting, is null and void, and of no effect as you cannot keep something on top of nothing and expect it to stand.
The political effect also, will merely be a historical and comic re-enactment of the SHERIFF vs MAKARFI days which resulted in a 100% loss to SHERIFF'S camp following the purported national convention of the party in Portharcourt, Rivers State which took a similar bent and decisions made against the party's constitution and common sense.
I see cataclysm taking place in PDP this year. I see WIKE'S group inheriting the remains of PDP countdown to their December national convention, which notice will of course shall be signed by Sen. Sam Anyanwu being the authentic national secretary as pronounced by the Supreme Court judgement and INEC using its portal to show compliance to the judgement, thereby recognizing Sen. Sam Anyanwu as the national secretary of the party both in law and in fact going forward.
Finally, two things will happen. First, the uninformed proponents of Arch. Setonji Koshoedo as the acting national secretary with lack of understanding of the letters, spirit and intentions of the 2017 constitution as amended being the operational constitution in force, may have resolved to weaken the PDP and subsequently join in the formation of the fourth "fourth force coalition party" being formed by like minds with the same presidential ambitions that will eventually scatter the party after the Presidential primary election.
Two, the proponents of Anyanwu as the incumbent national secretary may also be intentionally weakening the PDP but using the cover of adherence to the PDP constitutional provision as a pretence whilst in real essence, using it as a bait and a bargaining chips ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Either way, it is a goal⚽ for the All Progressives Congress under Jagaban's charge.
I weep for my the repose of the soul and spirit of my beloved PDP 😢😭😭🙏.
Willie Amadi,✨ LL.B, BL, LL.M & Ph.D in view writes from Owerri.
