Supreme Court declares Wike’s ally, Anyanwu, as PDP national secretary

The Supreme Court has declared Samuel Anyanwu, a strong ally of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, as the National Secretary of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

Anyanwu and Sunday Ude-Okoye have been locked in a fierce battle for the position, causing division among the party stakeholders. 

However, Ude-Okoye gathered support from different blocs of the party who based their action on the ruling of an Appeal Court sitting in Enugu.

The appellate court had affirmed the removal of Anyanwu by a Federal High Court in Enugu.

However, in a unanimous judgment on Friday, a five-member panel of the Apex Court said matters bordering on the leadership or membership of a political party is its internal affair and should not be the business of a court.

In the lead judgment read by Justice Jamilu Tukur, the Supreme Court said the exceptional circumstances that would have given jurisdiction for the Court to decide on the internal affairs of a political party were missing.

These exceptional circumstances as stated by the Court are: if the Nigerian Constitution gives the Court such jurisdiction, when there is the commission of a crime or violation of contractual rights.

The National Secretary position became a contentious issue after Anyanwu left to contest the Imo governorship election which he lost.

After losing the election, efforts to reclaim his seat as the secretary threw the party into crisis.

An Appeal Court sitting in Enugu had on December 20, 2024, upheld an earlier decision of a High Court removing Senator Anyanwu as the PDP National Secretary and affirming Ude-Okoye as the authentic secretary.

Anyanwu, however, filed for a Stay of Execution and Appeal.