The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has reinstated Samuel Anyanwu to his position as National Secretary.
This came barely 24 hours after the party met with the national chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
Acting National Chairman of the party, Ambassador Iliya Damagum, made the announcement at a media briefing on Wednesday.
Other people at the press briefing were Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, former Senate President Bukola Saraki, and other key stakeholders.
He also announced the cancellation of the planned NEC meeting, saying, “We will have an expanded Caucus, at the next Caucus we will take a decision leading to a proper NEC.
“Anyanwu is resuming as the National Secretary, that is why I said it was a critical decision.
“Like INEC said they don’t have our notice, so what we will have on June 30th is an extended Caucus.”
This is considered a major victory for the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike.
Wike fires Damagum – ‘Anyanwu not your appointee, we’ll teach you’
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, has Wednesday chided the Acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Umar Damagum, for directing the party’s National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu to resume his duties.
Damagum spoke earlier on Wednesday after Anyanwu was finally accepted to function as the party’s national secretary.
A day earlier, Anyanwu’s attempt to have access to his office was resisted by the members of staff at the party’s National Secretariat.
But the Acting National Chairman has now asked him to resume duties.
This did not go down well with Wike, who accused the party helmsman of failing to show leadership all along.
He said Anyanwu is not Damagum’s appointee, hence the acting PDP National Chairman cannot direct him to resume his duties.
According to Wike: “I watched on national television and heard when the Acting National Chairman of PDP was directing the National Secretary to resume.
“The National Secretary is not your appointee, he has been doing his work, so you can’t call him to resume because of the illegalities you perpetrate.
“You didn’t show leadership, that is why you put yourself where you are. It’s nobody’s making because the National Secretary has been working and will continue to work, he doesn’t require anybody to direct him to resume his work.”
The minister also faulted the recent visit of PDP leaders including Damagum to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
He noted that Damagum’s ignorance and that of PDP leaders is not an excuse.
“If because of your ignorance of the law – too bad- the law does not recognize your ignorance. That you are ignorant of the law is not an excuse.
“I feel so bad when people can now move to INEC to direct them to obey Supreme court judgment, it’s most unfortunate.
“A political party will now go and ask from INEC what should we do and INEC will direct them to obey the Supreme Court judgment.
“You see, when you shoot yourself; you say it’s somebody that shot you. Continue to shoot yourself, I will not be a party to those that will shoot themselves.
“When you don’t know something, ask the right person – don’t because of ego, don’t because of monthly allocation, money does not solve all problems. If you want to learn, come and meet us, we will teach you how to go about it.”
Anyanwu’s return is considered a huge boost on Wike’s battle for the control of the party.
