THE Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party has demanded the resignation of Senator Samuel Anyanwu as the party’s National Secretary since he’s the party’s governorship candidate in the November 11 election in Imo State.

The BoT Chairman, Senator Adolphus Wabara, made the demand in a statement on Saturday, citing the constitutional provision of the party, which disallows a candidate from holding dual positions.

In the statement, Wabara called on the National Working Committee to ensure that Anyanwu left the office he occupies immediately and focus on the election, which is less than 30 days away.

He stated, “It has recently come to the attention of the Board of Trustees that the current Imo State governorship candidate of our party, Sen Anyanwu, is still holding on to the office of the National Secretary of the party.

“Not only is this morally wrong as no one is allowed to hold dual positions, but also against the constitutional provision of our party, which provides for a mandatory requirement of resignation for any party office holder who wishes to contest any elective position. Please see section 47(5) of our constitution as amended.

“The usual practice is for him to have resigned earlier. However, in the wisdom of the NWC, he was allowed to continue in office till now. Nonetheless, the BoT, as the conscience of the party, has the constitutional authority to caution any member of the party acting in a way contrary to the guiding principles of our party and this is one of them.

“It is therefore against the background of the above that the board wishes to put it on record and state categorically that the NWC should do the right thing by ensuring that the Imo State governorship candidate resigns from office immediately and focus on the election, which is less than 30 days away.”

Section 47 (5) of the PDP constitution as amended in 2017, made available to Sunday PUNCH, “Any officer elected into the executive committee of the party at any level may resign his or her office by giving a 30-day notice in writing to the appropriate executive committee, except in the case of resignation for the purpose of vying for an elective office which shall be effective within the period stipulated in the guideline issued for such elective office by the National Executive Committee of the party or the State Executive Committee in respect to local government elections.”

Meanwhile, the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, in a statement on Saturday, debunked claims that the party’s NWC intended to relieve Anyanwu of his position.

He described the claim as “the handiwork of those who intend to embarrass, cause disaffection and division.”

The statement added, “The attention of the NWC of the PDP has been drawn to a statement by a group mischievously purporting that the NWC has relieved our candidate in the November 11, 2023 governorship election in Imo State, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, of his elected position as the National Secretary of our great party.

“The NWC states in very clear terms that the claim by the group is completely false as the NWC did not at any time relieve or contemplate relieving the National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, of his position.

The spokesperson said Anyanwu remained the party’s national secretary and candidate for the Imo governorship election.”