PDP: Appeal Court Rejects Anyanwu’s Stay Of Execution

• Bars him from party’s national secretariat

The Appeal Court has rejected the request by embattled Senator Samuel Anyanwu for stay of execution of its judgment ousting him as the National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The appellate Court ruling is another legal blow delivered on the embattled Senator Samuel Anyanwu, the ousted National Secretary of the PDP following the December 20, 2024 judgment of the Court that removed him from office.

With the latest judgement, Senator Anyanwu is now barred from accessing the PDP National headquarters or performing any function in his capacity as National Secretary or attending meetings or presenting documents on behalf of the office pending the hearing and determination of his appeal at the Supreme Court.

The latest judgment further upheld the appointment of Hon. Udeh Okoye as the PDP’s National Secretary which was recently endorsed by the Party’s Governors Forum

This was as the South-East PDP Leaders also issued a stern warning to the ousted National Secretary, Senator Anyanwu, directing him to obey the judgement and directive of the Court of Appeal.

The Appeal Court’s decision reinforced its earlier judgment, declaring that Anyanwu is not legally eligible to act as the PDP National Secretary.

A stay of execution in Nigerian law temporarily suspends the enforcement of a judgment pending further appeals.

However, for an applicant to secure such an order, he/she must demonstrate special or exceptional circumstances, including the possibility of irreparable harm or a strong likelihood of success on appeal.

In the request of Anyanwu, the Appeal Court found that he failed to meet the criteria thus, the denial of the stay of execution which signalled the court’s determination to uphold its earlier decision.

The Appeal Court latest judgement has therefore prevented the potential disruption that a stay of execution might have caused the administrative activities of the country’s main opposition party

Legal experts explain that an appeal does not automatically grant a stay of execution as it must be specifically requested and granted by the court.

Following this latest decision by the Court of Appeal, the coast for Hon. Udeh Okoye to assume office as the legally recognised National Secretary is now clear as well as paving the way for the PDP to resolve its internal crisis.