In a landmark decision on Friday, the Supreme Court nullified the December 22, 2024, majority judgment by the Court of Appeal in Enugu that had removed Senator Samuel Anyanwu as the National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
A five-member panel, led by Justice Uwani Abba-Aji, delivered a unanimous verdict, ruling that both the Enugu State High Court and the Court of Appeal lacked the jurisdiction to entertain the case brought against Anyanwu.
Justice Jamilu Tukur, who authored the lead judgment, emphasized that the dispute centered on the internal affairs of the PDP, a matter that falls outside the jurisdiction of the courts.
He pointed out that the issues raised by Emmanuel Aniagwu, who filed the suit, were purely party matters and not justiciable by any court.
Further, Justice Tukur clarified that Anyanwu’s participation in the 2024 Imo State governorship election, as the PDP’s official candidate, was in line with the party’s approval. This contradicted Aniagwu’s claims, which sought to challenge Anyanwu’s position within the party.
Justice Tukur also ruled that Aniagwu had no legal standing (locus standi) to file the suit, as he failed to prove that he had personally suffered any harm from Anyanwu’s actions. Describing Aniagwu as a “busybody” and an “interloper,” the judge noted that he lacked the necessary grounds for initiating such a case.
Additionally, the judge observed that S. K. E. Ude-Okoye, who might have benefitted from the case, was not made a party to the lawsuit, further questioning the legitimacy of the claim.
In his judgment, Justice Tukur upheld the minority opinion from the Court of Appeal, which had concluded that the lower courts did not have the proper jurisdiction to hear the case.
The Supreme Court thus struck down the case filed by Aniagwu, affirming Anyanwu’s position as the PDP National Secretary.
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