The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has said that Friday’s Supreme Court judgment has resolved the controversy surrounding its National Secretary position, aligning with the party’s choice for the role.
Recent media reports indicated that Senator Samuel Anyanwu, who was removed by the Court of Appeal in December 2024, has been reinstated by the Supreme Court.
In a statement by National Publicity Secretary Debo Ologunagba, the PDP noted that the apex court’s judgment affirmed that issues concerning party leadership positions, including that of the National Secretary, are internal affairs of the party, to be resolved through internal mechanisms, and not subject to Court jurisdiction.
The party emphasized that the judgment reaffirms its stance on the emergence of Sunday Udeh-Okoye as the substantive National Secretary, having been duly nominated, endorsed, and ratified through the PDP’s internal mechanisms in line with its Constitution (as amended in 2017).
The PDP noted that during its 576th meeting on October 11, 2023, the National Working Committee (NWC) directed the South East zonal executive committee to nominate a replacement for Anyanwu following his nomination as the governorship candidate for the November 2023 Imo State governorship election.
Subsequently, on October 20, 2023, the South East zonal executive committee resolved to forward the name of SKE Udeh Okoye to the NWC as the National Secretary. The NWC, during its 577th meeting on November 7, 2023, accepted and approved Udeh Okoye’s emergence as the National Secretary.
This appointment has since been endorsed by relevant PDP organs, including the Board of Trustees (BoT), South East zonal caucus, and the PDP Governors’ Forum, and has been officially communicated to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the public.
The PDP commended the Supreme Court for upholding the principle of party supremacy in managing its internal affairs, describing the judgment as a victory for democracy.
