The leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has refuted claims of threatening to remove Senator Samuel Anyanwu as its national secretary, as asserted in a Federal High Court in Abuja. In a counter affidavit filed on December 7, the party’s leaders, including Umar Damagun, the PDP’s acting national chairman, and the National Executive Committee (NEC) and the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party, contended that there was no such threat, contrary to the plaintiffs’ argument.

The court had earlier issued an order on November 23, preventing the PDP from removing Anyanwu as national secretary pending the hearing of the substantive matter. The plaintiffs, Geoffrey Ihentuge and Apollo’s Godspower, sought relief against the PDP, Damagun, and the NEC, as well as the NWC and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The counter affidavit submitted by the PDP leadership, deposed to by Jeremiah Joel, a litigation secretary in the law firm, asserted that the NWC had approved the deputy national secretary to act in place of the national secretary, as provided for in the party’s constitution. They emphasized that there was no threat to remove the national secretary and that Anyanwu had applied for leave of absence to focus on his candidacy in the Imo governorship election.

The court, having heard arguments from both parties on Tuesday, reserved judgment for a later date to be communicated to all parties involved. Senator Samuel Anyanwu was the PDP candidate in the Imo governorship election held on November 11, where Senator Hope Uzodinma of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was re-elected.