CONFUSION, AS RIVAL PDP FACTIONS CLAIM VICTORY IN SUPREME COURT JUDGMENT ON POSITION OF NATIONAL SECRETARY

There appears to be a misunderstanding within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) about the import of the Supreme Court judgment on the contention over the position of the party’s National Secretary.

Reports emerged earlier Friday, March 21, 2025, that the Supreme Court had nullified the lower court judgment that sacked Senator Samuel Anyanwu as PDP National Secretary.

The panel of five justices of the Supreme Court held that that the issue of PDP's National Secretary borders on the internal affairs of a party, which is not justiciable.

Consequently, Justice Jamilu Tukur, who delivered the lead judgment, struck out the judgement of the trial court in October 2024 and set aside the majority judgement of the Court of Appeal in December, which affirmed Anyanwu’s sack as PDP’s National Secretary.

However, while supporters of Senator Anyanwu are celebrating the Supreme Court judgment for being in his favour, the National Working Committee of the PDP thinks otherwise.

National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Debo Ologunagba, has issued a statement, saying that the Supreme Court judgment affirmed the position of the NWC that the issue of party leadership can only be handled through internal mechanism.

To that extent, Ologunagba said the judgment reaffirms the standing position of the party that Rt Hon SKE Ude Okoye as the substantiative National Secretary of the PDP, having been duly nominated, endorsed and ratified through the internal mechanism of the PDP statutory organs, in line with provisions of the PDP Constitution (as amended in 2017).

“For clarity, the NWC at its 576th meeting held on the 11th of October, 2023, directed the South East Zonal Executive Committee to nominate a replacement for Senator Samuel Anyanwu upon Senator Anyanwu’s nomination as the governorship candidate of the PDP to contest the November 2023 Governorship election in Imo State.

“Consequent upon the directive of the NWC, the South-East Zonal Executive Committee at its meeting held on the 20th of October 2023 passed a resolution approving the emergence and forwarding of the name of Rt. Hon. SKE Udeh Okoye to the NWC as the National Secretary of the Party.

“Accordingly, the NWC at its 577th meeting held on 7th of November 2023 pursuant to its powers under the PDP Constitution, duly received, deliberated upon, accepted and approved the emergence of Rt. Hon. SKE Udeh Okoye as the National Secretary of the Party, which appointment has also since been endorsed by relevant Organs and bodies of the PDP including the Board of Trustees (BoT), South East Zonal Caucus, the PDP Governors’ Forum and officially communicated to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the general public” He stated.

He said the PDP commends the Supreme Court for upholding the principle of the supremacy of the party in the management of its internal affairs, describing it as victory for democracy.

Ologunagba said the NWC urged all patriotic members of the PDP to remain united and work together to move the party forward.