The Supreme Court on Friday declared an ally of Nyesom Wike, Samuel Anyanwu, as the authentic National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The apex court set aside the judgment of the Court of Appeal in Enugu, which had ruled against him by recognising Sunday Udey-Okoye as secretary of the party.
A five-member panel of the apex court held 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.
Justice Jamilu Tukur, who delivered the lead judgment of the Supreme Court, consequently struck out the judgment of the trial court delivered in October 2024 and also set aside the majority judgment 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 judgment of the appellate court delivered by Justice Ekanem, which had nullified the judgment of the trial court on account of lack of jurisdiction.
Besides, 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.
In its decision, the Supreme Court agreed with Anyanwu’s argument that both the Court of Appeal and the trial court in Enugu lacked the authority to hear the case, as it involved the internal affairs of the PDP.
Anyanwu had earlier left the position of secretary to contest for Imo governorship election, only to return after losing the guber poll.