Breaking: Supreme Court reinstates Anyanwu as PDP National Secretary

In a landmark decision, the Supreme Court of Nigeria has nullified the judgments of both the Court of Appeal and the Federal High Court, which had previously removed Senator Samuel Anyanwu from his position as the National Secretary of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

A five-member panel of the apex court, in a ruling delivered on Friday, held that the matter of who occupies the position of National Secretary within the PDP falls strictly within the internal affairs of the political party and, therefore, is not subject to judicial intervention.

Justice Jamilu Tukur, who delivered the lead judgment, ruled that neither the Federal High Court nor the Court of Appeal had the jurisdiction to interfere in the internal decision-making processes of a political party regarding its leadership structure.

“The question of who should hold the position of National Secretary in a political party is purely an internal party matter and is non-justiciable,” the Supreme Court ruled.

The judgment effectively struck out the earlier verdict of the Federal High Court delivered in October last year, which had ordered Anyanwu’s removal. It also set aside the majority decision of the Court of Appeal, which, in December, upheld Anyanwu’s sacking.

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With this ruling, Senator Samuel Anyanwu has been reinstated as the National Secretary of the PDP, putting an end to months of legal battles over his position.

The decision reinforces the longstanding principle that Nigerian courts generally avoid interfering in the internal leadership disputes of political parties unless there is a clear breach of constitutional provisions or party guidelines.

Political analysts believe the Supreme Court’s verdict will have a significant impact on the internal cohesion of the PDP, as the party seeks to consolidate its leadership ahead of future elections.

This ruling also sends a strong signal to political parties across Nigeria, reaffirming that courts will not meddle in matters that are strictly within the purview of party administration and governance.

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Senator Anyanwu is expected to resume his duties as PDP’s National Secretary immediately following the ruling. Meanwhile, reactions from party stakeholders and legal experts are expected in the coming days as the political ramifications of this decision unfold.