The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has been ordered to remove Senator Samuel Anyanwu from his position as the party’s national secretary by an Enugu State high court.

The PDP’s candidate for governor in the upcoming election in Imo State is Anyanwu.

The decision was made in response to Nwabueze Ugwu’s motion on notice, which asked the court to declare Senator Anyanwu’s seat vacant.

The court compelled the defendants in the suit- the PDP National Chairman, the PDP National Secretary and the National Vice Chairman, South-East to recognise Sunday Udeh-Okoye as candidate recommended by the South-East Zonal Executive Committee to replace Anyanwu pending the determination of the motion on notice.

The presiding judge, Justice C.O Ajah held that the motion on notice was brought under order 38 rule 1, order 39 rule 1 of High Court rules of Enugu State 2020, supported by 23-paragraph affidavits deposed to by the applicant.

Justice Ajah ordered as follows:

“That an Interim Order is hereby granted as prayed.

“That the 2 Defendant/Respondent is hereby ordered to recognize within 24 hours of the service of this order on him, HON. S.K.E. UDEH-OKOYE (the person recommended by the South East Zonal Executive Committee of the 1” Defendant /Respondent; pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice.

“That this Order will lapse after seven (7) days from today in accordance with the Rules of this Court.

“That the matter is adjourned to 30/10/2023 for the hearing of the Motion on Notice.”

The PDP, South-East zone, had last weekend, unanimously nominated the former PDP National Youth Leader, Hon. Sunday Udeh-Okoye as the new party National Secretary.

The party’s National Vice Chairman, South-East Zone, Chief Ali Odefa, who read a communique after the meeting, had explained that the decision was to allow Senator Anyanwu concentrate on his electioneering campaign in Imo State.