"Inaugurate Sunday Udoh-Okoye in the party's interest, or we may be forced to occupy Wadata Plaza until the right thing is done".
The Arewa PDP Support group, a political pressure group in the PDP, has threatened a peaceful protest over the party's failure to recognise Sunday Udeh-Okoye as the new National Secretary.
Yahaya Salisu, National Coordinator and Desmond Minakaro, National Secretary of the group, in a statement on Saturday in Abuja, said the call for Mr Udeh-Okoye's recognition was in the interest of justice.
In October, a Federal High in Enugu State ordered the PDP to replace Senator Samuel Anyanwu as the party's National Secretary. As such, on Sunday, Mr Udeh-Okoye was proposed as his replacement.
Mr Anyanwu's replacement was because of his involvement in the governorship election in Imo, but until now, the NWC had not obeyed the court's order.
The group said that its members from the 19 Northern States and the FCT have resolved to ensure that the court's order was obeyed or its members would protest.
"We hereby issue a five-day ultimatum to the NWC to obey the court order and inaugurate Sunday Udoh-Okoye, please, in the interest of the party, or we may be forced to occupy Wadata Plaza until the right thing is done," he said.
The statement quoted the group's coordinator, Mr Salisu, as urging the acting National Chairman of the PDP, Umar Damagum, to, in the spirit of justice, obey the existing court order and convene an NWC meeting and swear in Mr Udeh-Okoye.
Mr Salisu said the party was not for a few individuals but for every registered member, so its integrity must be protected.
"Damagun is a peace-loving democrat and a beneficiary of a court order which sacked the former National Chairman Senator Ayu, which led to him occupying his present position.
"For the benefit of the doubt, if the public can recall, sometime in October 2021, this same group, the Arewa PDP Support group, stood firm in support of a decision that led to the sack of former National Chairman Uche Secondus.
"We also went further to canvass support for the same Sen. Samuel Anyanwu, on the belief that he was most favoured from the South East zone, which led to him being elected as National Secretary.
It was this position he held until he willingly decided to join the Imo 2023 Governorship race.
"Naturally, he can not double as a governorship candidate and simultaneously the National Secretary of our great party, as confirmed and directed by the High Court.
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"It was a court decision that paved the way to a convention that he benefitted from," Mr Salisu said.
The group noted that democracy was about the people, and any decision must be in their favour.
"We will always stand on the side of truth in the overall interest of our party. This party should not be allowed to be hijacked by any few persons.
"It is very disheartening that despite the choice of the PDP Southeast zonal Executive Committee to whom the position of National Secretary is zoned to replace the former National Secretary, Anyanwu, the party is yet to do the needful.
"Anyanwu is the Governorship candidate of the party in today's (Saturday's) Governorship election in Imo," the statement read.
"Today, that similar court has asked him to stand down. The NWC should, therefore, save us further embarrassment and please obey such an order by recognising Sunday Udeh-Okoye as the National Secretary of the party."
NAN
