Court Fixes April 28 For Judgment In Anyanwu’s Suit

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Tuesday, March 25, 2025, fixed judgment in a suit filed by embattled Senator Samuel Anyanwu, seeking to stop his removal as National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for April 28.

The Court presided over by Justice Inyang Ekwo fixed the date after Anyanwu’s counsel, Ken Njemanze, SAN, and defence lawyers adopted their processes and presented their arguments for and against the suit.

This was as Justice Ekwo ordered Njemanze to make available to the court within seven days, the judgment of the Supreme Court delivered last week Friday.

Justice Ekwo said; “I am going to give you a fairly long date for judgment but if the judgment is ready before that date, parties will receive hearing notice”.

The Supreme Court had March 21, set aside the decision of the Court of Appeal, Enugu Division, delivered on December 20, 2024, which affirmed the removal of Anyanwu as National Secretary of the main opposition Party, the PDP.

In a unanimous judgment, the five-member panel of the apex Court held that matters concerning the leadership or membership of a political party are internal affairs and should not be subject to judicial intervention.

It also held that the Federal High Court lacked jurisdiction to hear the matter initially brought by Aniagwu Emmanuel, a member of the party.

However, the Supreme Court judgment that was expected to bring an end to the leadership crisis, had left the Party in confusion as the two parties in the suit; Anyanwu and Hon Sunday Ude-Okoye, are laying claim to be the authentic National Secretary after the apex court decision.

Anyanwu in the instant suit, had sued the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and Umar Damagun, the acting National Chairman of PDP, as 1st and 2nd defendants.

In the ex-parte motion: marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/254/2025 dated and filed on February 13 by Njemanze, Anyanwu sought two prayers, namely; “an order of interim injunction, restraining INEC from accepting, acting on or giving effect to any correspondence from the PDP not signed by him pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction”.

Anyanwu is also seeking an order of interim injunction restraining Damagun from dispatching to INEC any correspondence purportedly emanating from PDP signed by the acting chair and not counter signed by him.

Upon the filing of the suit, the court had on February 28, given an order joining the PDP and Udeh-Okoye in the suit as 3rd and 4th defendants.

The trial judge equally joined Dr Ali Odela and Mr Setonji Koshoedo as 5th and 6th defendants respectively.

While Odela is the National Vice Chairman of the PDP for the South East, Koshoedo is the deputy National Secretary of the party.

While adopting their processes, Akintayo Balogun, who appeared for Damagun and Odela, including T.J. Aondo, SAN, who appeared for PDP, challenged the jurisdiction of the court and urged the Court to dismiss Anyanwu’s suit.

In the same vein, Eric Ekeret, who represented the Udeh-Okoye and J.A. Musa, who appeared for Koshoedo, prayed the court to grant their relief in the interest of justice.

Ahmed Mohammed, lawyer to the INEC, equally moved their processes in the suit.