A five-member panel of the apex court held on Friday that the issue of who is the National Secretary of the PDP borders on the internal affairs of a political party which is not justiciable. The judgement has thrown the party into a political logjam of different interpretations by the parties in the dispute.

Justice Jamilu Tukur, who delivered the lead judgement of the Supreme Court, struck out the judgement of the trial court delivered in October 2024 and also set aside the majority judgement of the Court of Appeal, which had in December affirmed the sack of Anyanwu as PDP’s National Secretary.

Justice Tukur subsequently affirmed the minority judgement of the appellate court delivered by Justice Ekanem which had nullified the judgement of the trial court on account of lack of jurisdiction.

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.

The PDP National Working Committee, Board of Trustees, PDP Governors’ Forum, and the South East Zonal Executive Committee had at various times affirmed Udeh-Okoye as the National Secretary of the party.

Both Senator Anyanwu and the PDP are claiming victory with the Court ruling.

In a statement by the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Hon Debo Ologunagba, the PDP claimed that the Supreme Court Judgement Affirms Udeh-Okoye as National Secretary by affirming the supremacy of the party in its internal affairs. The statement reads:

“The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has received the judgement 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 judgement of the Supreme Court reaffirms the standing position of the party and emphatically settles the emergence of Rt. Hon. SKE Udeh Okoye as the substantive 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 under 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 a 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.”

Last month, the Tom Ikimi-led disciplinary committee of the party recommended Anyanwu’s expulsion from the PDP. It said Anyanwu failed to appear before the committee to defend himself against a petition by the PDP Young Generation caucus.
The petitioner had accused Anyanwu of engaging in anti-party activities contrary to the provisions of Article 58 (1)(f) of the PDP Constitution.

It accused Senator Anyanwu of engaging in conduct likely to disrupt the peaceful, lawful, and efficient conduct of the party’s business contrary to provisions of Article 58 (1)(h) of the PDP Constitution 2017.

But Senator Sam Anyanwu is claiming victory because the judgement had set aside the lower court ruling which invalidated his position as National Secretary. Given the current balance of power in the PDP, it appears that Anyanwu faces significant challenges. He is acknowledged as an associate of Chief Nyesom Wike, who is believed to be working against the PDP by serving in the APC government of President Bola Tinubu.