PDP crisis: Supreme Court fixes March 10 to hear Anyanwu’s appeal against removal as PDP National Secretary

By Folarunsho Alagbede

The Supreme Court has fixed March 10, 2025 for hearing of the appeal brought before it by embattled National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) Senator Samuel Anyanwu.

A five-member panel of the apex court led by Justice Ibrahim Saulawa fixed the date yesterday while delivering ruling in a motion for accelerated hearing filed by Anyanwu.

The Court of Appeal sitting in Enugu had last December upheld a High Court decision that removed Samuel Anyanwu as the National Secretary of the PDP.

The appellate court in addition upheld the nomination of Chief Ude Okoye as the substantive National Secretary of the main opposition party.

In the lead judgement delivered by Justice Ridwan Abdullahi, the Court of Appeal held that Anyanwu‘s appeal was incompetent and lacking in merit.

According to the appellate court, Anyanwu violated the PDP’s constitution by laying claim to the National Secretary position having contested and emerged as PDP candidate in the 2024 governorship election in Imo State.

Dissatisfied, Anyanwu last month approached the Supreme Court asking it to set aside the judgement of the two lower courts and recognize him as the authentic National Secretary of the PDP.

He also filed a motion for accelerated hearing as well as an abridgment of time on grounds of the crucial role of the office of National Secretary.

Delivering ruling in the motion on Tuesday, the apex court granted the application and ordered that the service of the court processes be effected on the respondent, Mr Aniagu Emmanuel, who must file his reply brief within three days of service.

Anyanwu, on the other hand, was given two days to reply on point of law.

The apex court subsequently fixed March 10, 2025, for hearing of the substantive matter.

Meanwhile, the motion for stay of execution of the judgement of the Court of Appeal was not heard by the apex court contrary to some media reports.