PDP leadership crisis: S/Court reserves judgment in Anyanwu’s suit against sack

By Vivian Okejeme, Abuja

The Supreme Court, Monday, reserved judgment in the appeal filed by the embattled Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP), Samuel Anyanwu, challenging his sack from office.

The embattled Anyanwu is asking the apex court to set aside the judgment of the court of appeal, Enugu division, which upheld the Federal High Court judgment that removed him as the Secretary of the party.

The suit marked SC/CV/82/2025, filed by Ken Njemanze, SAN, contained a ten-ground appeal praying the apex court to allow the appeal and overturn the decision of the lower court.

Aniagu Emmanuel, PDP, Ambassador Iliya Damagun (National Chairman), and High Chief Ali Odefa (National Vice Chairman, Southeast Zone, PDP) as first to fourth respondents, respectively.

In the appeal, Anyanwu challenged the decision of the Court of Appeal, Enugu Division, delivered on December 20, 2024, that affirmed the judgment of the High Court, which removed him from office as the PDP National Secretary and recognized Sunday Udey-Okoye.

Dissatisfied with the majority decision of the Court of Appeal, Anyanwu approached the Supreme Court to set aside the appellate court’s judgment.

Anyanwu argued that the appellate court erred in law when it upheld the trial court’s jurisdiction over a matter dealing with the internal affairs of the PDP.

He contended that issues related to party leadership and membership are non-justiciable and fall outside the jurisdiction of any court.

Additionally, the appellant criticized the lower court for failing to rule on whether the plaintiff had complied with the mandatory internal dispute resolution mechanisms stipulated in the PDP constitution before filing the suit.

Anyanwu also faulted the court’s decision for holding that the plaintiff had the locus standi to institute the case, asserting that such issues are fundamental to the court’s jurisdiction to adjudicate the case.

The appellant further contended that the lower court erred in interpreting Section 84(12) of the Electoral Act 2022, arguing that he neither resigned nor was he removed from his position as National Secretary.

He emphasized that the PDP constitution outlines specific procedures for vacating executive offices, which include removal or resignation.

He also argued that Article 47 of the PDP constitution provides for a four-year single term for party officers, and there was no basis for the concurrent findings of the lower courts that deemed him to have vacated his office.

At the resumed hearing of the appeal, all parties in the suit adopted their processes, except for PDP and Damagun, who did not file any processes.

The respondents unanimously urged the court to dismiss the appellant’s appeal.

Specifically, citing Ali Modu Sheriff vs PDP, senior counsel Erokoro urged the apex court to depart from its earlier decision, which holds that political party issues are internal and no court has jurisdiction to entertain such matters.

He further stated that Anyanwu resigned and the trial court already made a pronouncement on that.