The Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed a suit filed by Senator Samuel Anyanwu, a former factional National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), seeking judicial recognition as the party’s scribe.
Justice Mohammed Umar dismissed the case after it was brought to the court’s attention that Anyanwu’s tenure as PDP national secretary had expired in December 2025, rendering the matter academic.
Anyanwu had instituted the suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/254/2025, against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and Umar Damagun, former acting National Chairman of the PDP, as first and second defendants.
In an ex parte motion dated February 13, 2025, filed by his counsel, Ken Njemanze, Anyanwu sought interim injunctions restraining INEC from accepting or acting on any PDP correspondence not signed by him, as well as barring Damagun from forwarding to INEC any party communication not countersigned by him.
On February 28, 2025, the court joined the PDP and Sunday Udeh-Okoye as third and fourth defendants, respectively, alongside Dr Ali Odela, PDP National Vice Chairman (South East), and Setonji Koshoedo, Deputy National Secretary, as fifth and sixth defendants.
When the matter was called, Anyanwu’s counsel, U.C. Njemanze-Aku, informed the court that his client’s tenure had elapsed and that it would be improper to proceed with a case overtaken by events.
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Counsel to INEC, Akintayo Balogun, argued that the suit ought not to have been filed and urged the court to dismiss it with N1 million costs. Lawyers to the other defendants aligned with the submission and also sought costs.
However, Njemanze-Aku opposed the request for costs, insisting that the withdrawal was due to circumstances beyond the plaintiff’s control and urged the court to allow parties to bear their respective costs.
In his ruling, Justice Umar dismissed the suit without awarding costs.
“Since you have joined issues, I am going to dismiss this matter. The matter is hereby dismissed,” the judge held, adding that the delay was not attributable to any party and therefore warranted no award of costs.
The dispute over the PDP national secretary position began after Anyanwu vacated the office to contest the 2023 Imo governorship election, which he lost.
His attempt to return to the position sparked internal party conflict, with Udeh-Okoye emerging as a rival claimant.
On December 20, 2024, the Court of Appeal in Enugu affirmed a Federal High Court judgment removing Anyanwu and recognising Udeh-Okoye as PDP national secretary.
Although Anyanwu pursued further legal action, including an appeal to the Supreme Court, the leadership tussle persisted, prompting the filing of the present suit, which has now been dismissed.
