The Supreme Court on Friday nullified the judgments of the Court of Appeal and Federal High Court, which had earlier sacked Samuel Anyanwu as National Secretary of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
A five-member panel of the court led by Justice Jamilu Tukur, on Friday, held that the issue was not justiciable, as it is the internal affairs of the party.
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The judgement affirmed the minority judgment of the appellate court delivered by Justice Ekanem, which earlier 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.
Tukur ruled that the position of National Secretary of the PDP borders on the internal affairs of the political party and therefore, not justiciable.
The apex court consequently struck out the judgment of the trial court delivered in October last year 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.
The judgement has further consolidated the party’s control in the hands of the pro-Nyesom Wike group in the PDP.
BusinessDay gathered from sources close to the party that the group had vehemently stood against Anyanwu’s removal, despite several efforts, including the decision by the PDP Governors’ Forum and the BoT, demanding Anyanwu’s removal and his replacement by Sunday Udeokoye.
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This position was also held by the party’s legal team which noted that Anyanwu’s tenure ended with his resignation to contest the last Governorship election in Imo state.
