The Supreme Court has overturned the decisions of the Court of Appeal and Federal High Court that had removed Samuel Anyanwu as the National Secretary of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
A five-member panel of the apex court ruled that the issue of the PDP’s National Secretary falls under the internal affairs of a political party and is therefore not justiciable. Justice Jamilu Tukur, delivering the lead judgment, struck down the trial court’s ruling from October 2024 and set aside the majority decision of the Court of Appeal, which had upheld Anyanwu’s removal in December 2024.
The Supreme Court instead affirmed the minority judgment by Justice Ekanem at the appellate court, which had nullified the lower court’s decision due to lack of jurisdiction.
Additionally, the apex court ruled that the plaintiff, Aniagu Emmanuel, lacked the standing to bring the case, as he failed to demonstrate how he was personally affected by the issue of the PDP’s National Secretary.
At various points, the PDP National Working Committee, Board of Trustees, PDP Governors’ Forum, and the South East Zonal Executive Committee had all recognized Udeh-Okoye as the party’s National Secretary.
In related developments, last month, the Tom Ikimi-led disciplinary committee of the PDP recommended Anyanwu’s expulsion after he failed to appear before the committee to defend himself against a petition by the PDP Young Generation caucus. The petition accused Anyanwu of engaging in anti-party activities, violating provisions of the PDP Constitution regarding conduct that disrupts the party’s peaceful and lawful operations.
