The Supreme Court has overturned the Court of Appeal and Federal High Court rulings that removed Senator Samuel Anyanwu as the National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The apex court ruled on Friday that the matter was strictly an internal party affair and not for judicial intervention.
A five-member panel, led by Justice Jamilu Tukur, ruled that the case was not justiciable. The panel stated that the PDP has the right to determine its leadership without court interference.
Supreme Court Affirms PDP’s Internal Authority
The court upheld the minority ruling of the Court of Appeal, delivered by Justice Ekanem, which dismissed the trial court’s decision due to lack of jurisdiction. The apex court also ruled that the plaintiff, Aniagu Emmanuel, lacked the legal grounds to challenge Anyanwu’s position. The justices noted that Emmanuel failed to prove how he was directly affected by the PDP’s choice of National Secretary.
Justice Tukur stated, “The position of the National Secretary of the PDP concerns internal party affairs and is therefore not justiciable.”
With this ruling, the Supreme Court struck out the October 2023 Federal High Court judgment and nullified the Court of Appeal’s December decision that upheld Anyanwu’s removal.
This judgment further strengthens the influence of the pro-Nyesom Wike faction within the PDP. Sources within the party confirmed that this group strongly opposed Anyanwu’s removal. The group’s resistance continued despite efforts from the PDP Governors’ Forum and the Board of Trustees (BoT) to replace him with Sunday Udeh-Okoye.
The PDP’s legal team maintained that Anyanwu’s tenure had already ended when he resigned to contest the 2023 Imo State governorship election.
PDP Declares Udeh-Okoye as Secretary
Despite the Supreme Court ruling, the PDP has insisted that Sunday Udeh-Okoye remains its National Secretary. The party made this announcement in a statement released by its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, shortly after the court’s decision.
According to the statement, the PDP had already selected Udeh-Okoye as secretary through its internal procedures. The party maintained that the Supreme Court ruling merely reaffirmed its authority to manage its affairs without external interference.
Ologunagba stated, “Today’s Supreme Court judgment reaffirms our position that party leadership decisions fall under internal affairs and are not subject to court rulings.“
He explained that the National Working Committee (NWC) had directed the South East Zonal Executive Committee to nominate a replacement after Anyanwu became the PDP’s candidate for the Imo State governorship election. The South East Zonal Executive Committee then approved Udeh-Okoye’s nomination and forwarded it to the NWC.
Ologunagba added, “At its 577th meeting on November 7, 2023, the NWC received, deliberated, and approved Udeh-Okoye as National Secretary. His appointment was further endorsed by the BoT, the South East Zonal Caucus, the PDP Governors’ Forum, and officially communicated to INEC.“
The PDP commended the Supreme Court for reinforcing party supremacy in internal affairs. The party urged its members to stay united and focused on moving forward.
“The NWC urges all patriotic PDP members to remain united as we work together to strengthen our party,” Ologunagba concluded.
Excerpts of PDP’s Statement
“The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has received the Judgment of the Supreme Court which affirmed that the issue of Party leadership positions, including that of the National Secretary is entirely an internal affair of the Party requiring only the Party internal mechanism to which the courts have no jurisdiction.
“Today’s judgment of the Supreme Court reaffirms the standing position of the Party and emphatically settles the emergence of Rt. Hon. SKE Udeh Okoye as the substantiative National Secretary of the PDP having been duly nominated, endorsed and ratified through the internal mechanism of the PDP statutory Organs and bodies in line with provisions of the PDP Constitution (as amended in 2017).
“For clarity, the NWC at its 576th meeting held on the 11th of October, 2023, directed the South East Zonal Executive Committee to nominate a replacement for Senator Samuel Anyanwu upon Senator Anyanwu’s nomination as the governorship candidate of the PDP to contest the November 2023 Governorship election in Imo State.
“Consequent upon the directive of the NWC, the South East Zonal Executive Committee at its meeting held on the 20th of October 2023 passed a resolution approving the emergence and forwarding of the name of Rt. Hon. SKE Udeh Okoye to the NWC as the National Secretary of the Party.
“Accordingly, the NWC at its 577th meeting held on 7th of November 2023 pursuant to its powers under the PDP Constitution, duly received, deliberated upon, accepted and approved the emergence of Rt. Hon. SKE Udeh Okoye as the National Secretary of the Party, which appointment has also since been endorsed by relevant Organs and bodies of the PDP including the Board of Trustees (BoT), South East Zonal Caucus, the PDP Governors’ Forum and officially communicated to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the general public.
“The PDP commends the Supreme Court for upholding the principle of the supremacy of the Party in the management of its internal affairs, describing it as victory for democracy.
“The NWC urges all patriotic members of the PDP to remain united as we work together to move our great Party forward,” the statement read.
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