A two-time governorship aspirant in Edo State and chieftain of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), High Chief Jacob Egietseme Idinye has condemned in strongest term, Monday’s protest at the party’s National Secretariat in Abuja, describing it as a “contemptible act of hooliganism and brigandage.”
In a statement made available to the media shortly after the protest, High Chief Idinye accused Senator Sam Anyanwu of forcefully gaining entrance to the secretariat to oppose the anticipated resumption of Sunday Ude-Okoye.
The media personality also chided Anyanwu for making capital out of the protest to undermine the sanctity of the court and party’s leadership, stressing that someone who once served as a lawmaker shouldn’t be publicly seen as a “lawbreaker”.
Idinye added that the Court of Appeal had removed Senator Anyanwu as the National Secretary of the PDP, and that no court of competent jurisdiction had vacated the ruling of the appellate court on the same matter.
The Etsako born politician further described the action of Anyanwu as a sad reminder of the days of lawlessness, impunity and brigandage “for which the sponsors of the protest have been known over the years.”
Idinye enjoined all patriotic and committed members of PDP to remain calm and law abiding in the face of the various provocations and allow the law to take its course.
He also implored security agencies not to take sides in political matters, even as he frowned at the way policemen deployed to secure the party secretariat refrained from interfering in the protest.
Accusing Anyanwu of desperation, lies and blackmail, Idinye said attempts to confer legitimacy on himself contrary to the order of the court of appeal would fail.
The statement read in parts, “Senator Sam Anyanwu and his sponsors want to create the wrong impression that Nigeria’s court of competent jurisdiction is not reliable and that people can brazingly commit contempt and settle for an act of hooliganism and brigandage.
“PDP belongs to all of us who are delegates and voters and I found it so difficult to understand whose interest Senator Anyanwu was acting. Be that as it may, I wish to advise the former National Secretary to seek the opinion of his legal team with utmost discipline, decorum, decency and maturity. He also has the right to pitch his tent with any other political party without stirring up a hornet’s nest in a party that literally made him politically.
“One wonders how some strange characters would storm the national secretariat of a great party like PDP with such show of shame and total disregard for the rule of law. It is deeply unfortunate to see a leader like Anyanwu and his cohorts trying to divert attention from the real issues at stake and trying to take laws to their own hands with no modicum of dignity. Senator Anyanwu should wait for supreme court judgment,” Idinye stated.
