The Supreme Court has overturned the December 22, 2024, judgment of the Court of Appeal in Enugu, which had sacked Senator Samuel Anyanwu as the National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
In a unanimous decision delivered on Friday, a five-member panel of the apex court, led by Justice Uwani Abba-Aji, ruled that both the Enugu State High Court and the Court of Appeal lacked the jurisdiction to entertain the case.
Justice Jamilu Tukur, who delivered the lead judgment, stated that the suit filed by Emmanuel Aniagwu at the High Court of Enugu State involved internal party affairs of the PDP, which are non-justiciable and beyond the jurisdiction of the courts.
The court also held that Anyanwu’s candidacy in the Imo State governorship election was duly approved by the PDP leadership, contrary to Aniagwu’s claims. Furthermore, Justice Tukur ruled that Aniagwu lacked the legal standing to challenge Anyanwu’s position, describing him as a “busybody and an interloper” who failed to demonstrate any personal injury or direct impact from Anyanwu’s actions.
The court noted that S.K.E. Ude-Okoye, who stood to benefit from the case, was not included as a party in the suit, further weakening Aniagwu’s claim.
The Supreme Court aligned with the minority judgment of the Court of Appeal, delivered by Justice Ekanem, which had previously ruled that the lower court lacked jurisdiction over the matter. Consequently, Justice Tukur struck out Aniagwu’s suit for want of jurisdiction.
This ruling puts an end to the legal battle over the PDP National Secretary position, reaffirming Senator Anyanwu’s leadership within the party.
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