After Supreme Court Judgement, Victory Claims Deepen PDP Power Tussle

*Apex court asks party to decide its national secretary, Anyanwu, Okoye sustain battle 

*South-east zonal committee affirms Okoye 

*High court restrains Tom Ikimi’s disciplinary committee from expelling Anyanwu

Chuks Okocha and Alex Enumah in Abuja

The hope that the judgment by the Supreme Court which stated that the issue brought before it by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over the dispute of its National Secretary was an internal party matter that should be resolved within the party without external interference would usher in peace in the political party has faded with both interest groups claiming victory.

The apex court nullified the judgements of the Court of Appeal and Federal High Court, which sacked Senator Samuel Anyanwu as National Secretary of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) saying that the issue being an internal affair of the party ought not to have been adjudicated upon by any court.

However, while a faction of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party yesterday claimed the judgment of the Supreme Court reaffirmed the standing position of the PDP leadership, and argued that it emphatically settles the emergence of Rt. Hon. S.K.E Udeh Okoye as its substantive National Secretary, Anyanwu called on party members to disregard the statement that emanated from the National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba on the matter.
While the Anyanwu camp was celebrating that the judgment was in his favour, the South East Zonal Executive Committee of the party congratulated Okoye. The congratulatory message was issued by the South East Zonal Executive Committee Chairman, Chief Ali Odefa.

While both contenders were still claiming and counterclaiming on the judgment, a High Court in Abuja under Justice H Mauzu issued a restraining order against the Tom Ikimi-led Disciplinary Committee of the party from expelling Anyanwu.
A five-member panel of the apex court yesterday held that the issue of who was the National Secretary of the PDP borders on the internal affairs of a political party which is not justiciable.

Anyanwu had approached the apex court to set aside the majority judgment of the Court of Appeal and the trial court which had sacked him as National Secretary on account of participating in the 2023 governorship election in Imo State.
 Anyanwu, through his lawyer, Mr. Ken Njemanze, SAN, had argued that the two lower courts erred in law when they dabbled into the issue of the internal affairs of the PDP.

They had also challenged the right of Aniagu Emmanuel to bring the suit against Anyanwu at the Federal High Court, adding that he cannot be an advocate of Udeh Okoye, nominated to serve out the tenure of Anyanwu.
The PDP had appointed Okoye to serve out the tenure of Anyanwu on the grounds that Anyanwu had relinquished his position of National Secretary, when he purchased the expression of interest and nomination form of the PDP and subsequently emerged as the candidate of the PDP in the governorship election in Imo State in 2023.

The PDP further claimed that its Constitution provided for Anyanwu’s resignation as National Secretary before contesting for the office of governor, which he lost to Governor Hope Uzodinma of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
But, Anyanwu argued this claim to the contrary, accusing the respondents of doctoring the party’s constitution, adding that he never resigned to contest the Imo guber election.

Besides, he maintained that the issue of who was the authentic National Secretary of the PDP was not what any court should entertain and urged the court to allow his appeal and reserve his sack by the two lower courts.
 Reacting, counsel to Emmanuel disagreed that the issue was purely that of an internal affairs of the PDP, pointing out that Anyanwu cannot, having gone to participate in the Imo State governorship election then return to assume his position of National Secretary.

The respondent through his lawyer Chief Paul Erokoro, SAN, further argued that the court could still look into the issue of the leadership of political parties, when the need arises, as in the instant case, adding that the apex court had been inconsistent with the issue.

 Erokoro cited the case of former PDP National Chairman, Ali Modu Sheriff and asked the court to deviate from other judgments where it held that the issue of leadership of political parties was not justiciable.

 Delivering judgment yesterday, the apex court agreed with Anyanwu that the issue before the court centered around the leadership of the PDP, which is not justiciable.

“Issues that borders on the leadership of a political party should not be the business of any court”, Justice Jamilu Tukur, who delivered the lead judgment held.

He explained that, “the trial court and majority judgment of the Court of Appeal had it wrong when they assumed jurisdiction to entertain the suit”.

 According to him, the few exceptions where the court can dabble into the internal affairs of a political party, are when the Constitution provided such grounds or there was a criminal findings or the party breached its own laws and regulations.

Tukur stated that, “The respondents did not show how the guidelines and regulations of the party were violated” in the instant case.

Besides, the apex court held that the plaintiff, Aniagu Emmanuel, who initiated the suit at the trial court lacked the necessary legal backing to do so, since he did not show how he was affected by who is the National Secretary of the PDP.

He described Emmanuel as a “busybody interloper” because he failed to show what harm he stands to suffer with Anyanwu as the National Secretary.

“He has not shown what his interest is and …. Or whatever he would suffer” with Anyanwu as National Secretary.

The apex court in addition, observed that Udeh Okoye, who was the beneficiary of the sack of Anyanwu as National Secretary was not joined as a party in the suit in line with the law.

 Tukur subsequently allowed the appeal by Anyanwu and declared that, “the majority judgment of the court of appeal” which sacked Anyanwu as National Secretary, “is hereby set aside and the minority judgment by Justice Ekanem is hereby affirmed.

 “The trial court judgment is also struck out for want of jurisdiction”.

 Tukur ordered that parties were to bear their respective costs.

PDP: Supreme Court Judgment Affirms Udeh-Okoye as National Secretary

The NWC of the PDP while reacting to the turn of events said the judgment of the Supreme Court reaffirmed the standing position of the Party and emphatically settles the emergence of Okoye as the substantive National Secretary of the Party.

 The PDP in a statement by the National Publicity Secretary Debo Ologunagba said Udeh Okoye 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) remains the National Secretary of the Party.

 Ologunagba, said for clarity, the National Working Committee (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.

 The statement said 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.

 Ologunagba said that 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.

 The PDP NWC stressed that the appointment of Udeh Okoye has 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.

 South-East PDP Congratulates Okoye

The South East Zonal Executive Committee of the PDP congratulated Okoye on the affirmation of his position as the National Secretary of the PDP by the Supreme Court.

 The South East PDP, in a statement co-issued by the Chairman of the Zonal Executive Committee, Chief Ali Odefa, and the Zonal Secretary, Hon. James Ugwu, yesterday, equally hailed the Supreme Court for saving, not just the party, but also the nation’s democracy from the hands of those bent on destroying it for their selfish political capital.

Reacting to the apex court ruling, the statement said, “This is not just a victory for Rt. Hon. Udeh-Okoye as a person, but also for the party as a whole and for the nation’s democracy in general.

 “This judgment expressly ratifies the South Zonal Executive Committee’s nomination of Hon. Sunday Udeh-Okoye as the party’s National Secretary to serve-out the remaining tenure of Senator Samuel Anyanwu, who had won the party’s nomination as its flag bearer in the Imo 2023 governorship election. It equally validates Udeh-Okoye’s ratification by the National Working Committee (NWC) on November 7, 2023 and his endorsement by various organs of the party.

 “Consequently, the South East heartily congratulates our party leaders, party faithful, and, of course, Hon. Sunday Udeh-Okoye on this momentous victory.

“We are happy that this judgment has finally reestablished party supremacy and the ramifications of this decision is a big win for not just the PDP, but for all the political parties in Nigeria. By this decision, the Supreme Court has reaffirmed that, as our people would say, the okra can never be taller than the person that planted it. The party is supreme.”

 Disregard Ologunagba, Says Anyanwu

Meanwhile, Anyanwu has called on party members to disregard the statement by Ologunagba, saying it has no basis.

Anyanwu in his statement contesting Ologunagba’s views said, ”The judgments of the Enugu High Court and Appeal Court were set aside while upholding the minority judgment of the Appeal court panel.

 ”The prayers of the appellant (Samuel N Anyanwu) affirming him as the authentic National Secretary of PDP were all guaranteed. The High Court of Enugu has no jurisdiction to the case.

”⁠The plaintiff, Emeka Aniagu in the case lacked the locus to file the case which makes the case null and void ab initio.  He was further described as busy body. In the same manner Udeh Okoye was described as a meddlesome interloper.

”Conclusively, the appeal of Senator Samuel Anyanwu was upheld and his position as National Secretary of PDP affirmed.”

Court Restrains Ikimi Disciplinary Committee from Expelling Anyanwu

 Justice H Mauzu of the High Court of Justice also yesterday in Abuja, restrained the Tom Ikimi led Disciplinary Committee from expelling Anyanwu. The suit was adjourned to April 7 2025.

 The Ikimi led committee had 10 days recommended to the PDP national working committee that Anyanwu should be expelled for anti-party activities.

The certified true copy was signed by Hadiza Ajanah, the registrar of the court. The order was dated March 20, 2025

The Court presided by Justice H. Mauzu ”restrained  the 1st and 2nd Defendants their officers, agents and or servants from in whatsoever manner accepting, acting on, implementing and or giving effect to the findings, decision and or recommendation of

The National Disciplinary Committee of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (headed by the 3rd Defendant with 4th-9th Defendants as members) made on 10 March, 2025 pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice for Interlocutory Injunction filed simultaneously with this instant Motion ex-parte.

 ”An Order of Interim Injunction restraining the 1st and 2nd Defendants including the National Disciplinary Committee of the Peoples’ Democratic Party, their officers, agents and or servants from in howsoever or whatsoever manner from suspending and or expelling the Plaintiff as a member of the Peoples’ Democratic Party or taking actions or steps adverse or prejudicial to or likely to be adverse or prejudicial to the Plaintiff’s membership of the Peoples’ Democratic Party pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice for Interlocutory Injunction filed FCT – ABUJA.”

Orbih Congratulates Anyanwu

Chief Dan Osi Orbih, a claimant to the National Vice Chairman, PDP South-south Zone, has congratulated Anyanwu over the Supreme Court ruling.

 In a statement, entitled: “Congratulatory Message”, Orbih wrote: “Dear Senator Samuel Anyanwu. On behalf of the newly elected members of the South Zonal Working Committee, I extend my heartfelt congratulations on your outstanding victory in the Supreme Court, affirming you as the authentic National Secretary of the PDP.

“This landmark judgment not only restores your position as National Secretary but also reinforces the values of rule of law and constitutionalism within our great party.

 “As you resume duties in your office, I urge you to be bold, firm, and courageous in the discharge of your duties. Your leadership is vital in steering the PDP towards a brighter future, and we are confident in your ability to navigate the challenges ahead with wisdom and integrity.

 “Rest assured, you have the unwavering support and cooperation of the South zone under my leadership, as well as the commitment of the Zonal Working Committee to work collaboratively with you. Together, we will strive to build a stronger and more vibrant PDP that is true to its core principles. Congratulations once again, and may the remainder of your tenure be marked by success and transformative progress for our party.”