Supreme Court declares Samuel Anyanwu as PDP National Secretary
The Supreme Court has affirmed Samuel Anyanwu as the National Secretary of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), settling a long-standing leadership tussle between him and Sunday Ude-Okoye.
In a unanimous decision on Friday, a five-member panel of the Supreme Court ruled that disputes over the leadership or membership of a political party fall within the party’s internal affairs and should not be decided by a court.
Delivering the lead judgment, Justice Jamilu Tukur stated that courts could only intervene in exceptional circumstances, such as when:
- The Nigerian Constitution expressly grants jurisdiction.
- There is an allegation of crime.
- There is a violation of contractual rights.
As these conditions were not met, the Apex Court ruled in favor of Anyanwu, effectively nullifying previous lower court decisions.
It is worth knowing that the PDP National Secretary position became a source of controversy after Anyanwu resigned to contest the Imo governorship election, which he later lost.
Upon his return, efforts to reclaim his seat led to a leadership crisis, with different party blocs backing either Anyanwu or Ude-Okoye. The matter escalated legally, with:
- A Federal High Court in Enugu ruled in favor of Ude-Okoye.
- The Appeal Court in Enugu (December 20, 2024) upheld this ruling, affirming Ude-Okoye as the authentic secretary.
- Anyanwu filed for a Stay of Execution and Appeal, leading to the Supreme Court’s intervention.
The Supreme Court’s ruling is expected to restore stability within the PDP, particularly among supporters of Anyanwu, who has strong ties to Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike. However, it remains to be seen how Ude-Okoye and his faction will react to the ruling.
