The Federal High Court in Abuja has given Senator Samuel Anyanwu seven days to present the Supreme Court judgment that, according to him, reinstated him as the National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Justice Inyang Ekwo issued the directive on Tuesday after Anyanwu’s lawyer, Chief Ken Njamanze, SAN, informed the court about the apex court’s decision. Njamanze argued that the Supreme Court ruling had settled the legal dispute regarding the position of the PDP’s national secretary.
The case before the high court involves Anyanwu’s request to halt the execution of previous court rulings that removed him from office and recognized Rt. Hon. Udeh-Okoye Ememchukwu as the rightful holder of the position.
In December, the Court of Appeal in Enugu had upheld a lower court’s verdict, removing Anyanwu and affirming Udeh-Okoye as the National Secretary. The appellate court ruled that Anyanwu violated the PDP Constitution by contesting the 2023 Imo State governorship election while still holding his position as National Secretary.
Following the judgment, the PDP’s Board of Trustees (BOT) and National Working Committee (NWC) endorsed Udeh-Okoye as the new secretary. However, Anyanwu challenged these rulings at the Supreme Court and also sought relief from the Federal High Court to suspend their execution.
Last Friday, the Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision by a five-member panel, nullified the lower court rulings, stating that the dispute was an internal matter of the PDP and not within the jurisdiction of the courts. The ruling sparked mixed reactions, with both Anyanwu’s and Udeh-Okoye’s supporters claiming victory.
In response to Anyanwu’s case, Udeh-Okoye submitted an affidavit to the court, outlining the events that led to his appointment. He stated that while Anyanwu was elected in 2021 for a four-year tenure, he forfeited his position upon becoming the PDP’s governorship candidate in Imo State.
Citing Article 47(5) of the PDP Constitution, Udeh-Okoye noted that any party official seeking an elective office must resign. He also referenced Article 47(6), which allows for the appointment of a replacement from the same region to complete the term.
Udeh-Okoye argued that after Anyanwu’s refusal to step down, the PDP’s Board of Trustees alerted the party’s leadership to the constitutional violation. He stated that the South East PDP executives met in October 2022 and selected him to complete the term.
He further explained that the legal battles in Enugu courts resulted from this nomination process. Based on these arguments, he asked the court to dismiss Anyanwu’s suit.
After hearing arguments from all parties, Justice Ekwo scheduled April 28 for the final judgment in the case.
