RismadarVoice Reporters
January 21, 2026
Justice M. G. Umar of the Federal High Court, Abuja, has dismissed the suit filed by Senator Samuel Anyanwu, challenging his removal as the National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
In Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/254/2025 – Sen. Samuel Anyanwu v. INEC & Ors, the court rejected the senator’s claims seeking to remain in office as the party’s National Secretary.
Senator Anyanwu had approached the court for, among other reliefs, an order of injunction restraining his removal from office following a previous Supreme Court judgment which held that issues relating to party offices are internal party affairs.
He also sought an order restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from accepting or acting on any PDP documents or correspondence not bearing his signature.
Although the matter witnessed several procedural developments, including its transfer from the court of the suspended Justice Inyang Ekwo to Justice M. G. Umar, the court dismissed the suit on the following grounds:
- Internal Party Affairs and Jurisdiction
The court reaffirmed the settled position of Nigerian law that issues bordering on the internal leadership, administration, and management of political parties are non-justiciable. Relying on recent Supreme Court authorities, the court held that it lacked jurisdiction to interfere in how a political party chooses or removes its officers. - Abuse of Court Process
Justice Umar noted that multiple suits involving the same subject matter were already pending or had been determined at different levels of the judiciary, including the High Courts, the Court of Appeal, and the Supreme Court. The multiplicity of actions, the court held, amounted to an abuse of court process. - Expiration of Tenure
The court further held that Senator Anyanwu, having been elected as National Secretary in 2021, could not lawfully continue in office beyond the expiration of the tenure for which he was elected.
Despite several legal efforts by Senator Anyanwu to retain the office, including claims that his tenure runs until December 2025, he was among the senior party officials expelled during the PDP National Convention held in Ibadan in November 2025.
The Peoples Democratic Party currently recognizes the Kabiru Tanimu Turaki-led National Working Committee (NWC), which was duly elected at the Ibadan National Convention.
