By EgbemaVoice
ABUJA, NIGERIA — The Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed the lawsuit filed by Senator Samuel Anyanwu, who sought to affirm his position as the National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
In a ruling delivered on Tuesday, January 13, 2026, Justice M. G. Umar struck out the suit (FHC/ABJ/CS/254/2025), dealing a significant blow to the Senator’s long-standing legal battle to retain his seat in the party’s National Working Committee (NWC).
The Ruling: Internal Affairs and Tenure
Justice Umar, in his judgment, emphasized that the issues raised by Anyanwu fell strictly under the "internal affairs" of a political party. He noted that the judiciary remains barred from interfering in how political parties manage their leadership transitions, a principle reinforced by multiple Supreme Court precedents.
The court further held that Anyanwu’s suit amounted to an abuse of court process. Justice Umar observed that the matter had already been extensively litigated across various levels of the Nigerian judiciary, including the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court.
Significantly, the judge ruled that Anyanwu’s legal tenure has legally elapsed. Having been elected in 2021 for a four-year term, the court found no legal basis for his continued stay in office beyond the expiration of that mandate, especially following the party's recent national convention.
The "Ibadan Convention" Factor
The dismissal comes on the heels of the PDP’s National Convention held in Ibadan in November 2025. That convention saw the emergence of a new NWC led by Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, SAN, as National Chairman.
During the Ibadan gathering, the party also moved to expel several high-ranking members, including Anyanwu, for alleged anti-party activities. While Anyanwu had sought an injunction to restrain the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognizing any correspondence not signed by him, Justice Umar’s ruling effectively terminates that bid.
Background of the Tussle
The legal drama began in 2023 when Anyanwu stepped aside to contest the Imo State Governorship election. Upon his return, a faction of the party attempted to replace him with Sunday Udeh-Okoye.
Although the Supreme Court had briefly reinstated Anyanwu in March 2025 on jurisdictional grounds, the party's subsequent convention in November 2025 established a new leadership structure that the courts have now declined to overturn.
Current Status
With this ruling, the Kabiru Tanimu Turaki-led NWC remains the recognized administrative body of the PDP. Senator Anyanwu has yet to officially state whether he intends to appeal this latest dismissal.
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