PDP: Supreme Court Refuses Anyanwu’s ‘Stay Of Execution’ Of Appeal Court Decision

The Supreme Court of Nigeria on Tuesday, February 18, 2025 refused to grant the request of Senator Samuel Anyanwu for Stay of Execution on the subsisting judgement of the Court of Appeal, Enugu Division which pronounced Hon Udeh Okoye as the National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Accordingly, with the refusal of the Supreme Court to grant a stay of execution, the declarative judgement by the Court of Appeal sacking Anyanwu from office as National Secretary of the PDP stands pending the judgment of the Supreme Court.

A five-member panel of the Supreme Court led by Justice Ibrahim Saulawa which refused the ‘Stay of execution’ of the judgement of the Court of Appeal, however granted Anyanwu’s motion for accelerated hearing of the suit.

The Court of Appeal sitting in Enugu had last December upheld a High Court judgement that sacked Senator Samuel Anyanwu as the National Secretary of the PDP.

The Appeal Court in its lead judgement delivered by Justice Ridwan Abdullahi, held that Chief Ude Okoye is the substantive National Secretary of PDP and declared that Anyanwu‘s appeal was incompetent and lacking in merit.

The Appeal Court also held that Anyanwu violated the PDP’s constitution by laying claim to the National Secretary position having contested and emerged as PDP candidate in the 2024 Imo State governorship election.

Dissatisfied with the judgement, Anyanwu in January went to the Supreme Court asking it to set aside the judgement of the two lower courts and grant him recognition as the authentic National Secretary of the PDP.

Anyanwu also filed a motion for an accelerated hearing as well as an abridgment of time on grounds of the crucial role of the office of National Secretary.

Delivering ruling in the motion on Tuesday, the Supreme Court granted the application for accelerated hearing and ordered service of the court processes on the respondent, Mr Aniagu Emmanuel, and directed that he must file in his reply brief within three days of service while it also directed Anyanwu to equally reply on point of law within two days.

The Supreme Court thereafter fixed March 10, 2025 for hearing and determination of the case

With this decision by the Supreme Court, the coast is now clear for Hon Udeh Okoye to fully assume office as the National Secretary of the PDP.