The Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday awarded a ₦150,000 fine against Senator Samuel Anyanwu, the embattled National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), for stalling judgment in his suit challenging his planned removal from office.
Justice Inyang Ekwo imposed the fine after Anyanwu’s counsel, Ken Njemanze, SAN, informed the court that he had just filed a motion to amend the suit, despite the matter being scheduled for judgment. The judge subsequently fixed May 19, 2025, for the hearing of the motion and ordered that the fine must be paid before the next adjourned date.
Justice Ekwo had initially scheduled April 28 for judgment in Anyanwu’s suit following the adoption of processes and arguments by parties on March 25. He also directed Anyanwu’s counsel to submit within seven days a copy of the Supreme Court judgment delivered on March 21, 2025.
The Supreme Court had earlier set aside the Court of Appeal decision that affirmed Anyanwu’s removal, stating that issues concerning the leadership or membership of a political party are internal affairs and beyond judicial intervention. The apex court also ruled that the Federal High Court lacked jurisdiction in the original case filed by Aniagwu Emmanuel.
Despite the Supreme Court’s ruling, the PDP leadership remains in turmoil, with both Senator Anyanwu and Sunday Ude-Okoye laying claim to the position of national secretary.
In his current suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/254/2025 and filed on February 13, Anyanwu sued the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and PDP Acting National Chairman, Umar Damagun, as first and second defendants respectively. He sought interim injunctions to prevent INEC from recognizing any PDP correspondence not signed by him and to restrain Damagun from forwarding such documents to INEC without his co-signature.
The court had earlier joined additional defendants: the PDP itself as third defendant; Ude-Okoye as fourth defendant; Dr. Ali Odela, PDP South East Vice Chairman, as fifth defendant; and Mr. Setonji Koshoedo, Deputy National Secretary, as sixth defendant.
When the matter came up for judgment, Njemanze sought leave to amend the originating processes. Justice Ekwo queried the propriety of filing such an amendment motion on the judgment day, warning that it sought to arrest the court's judgment.
INEC's lawyer, Ahmed Mohammed, confirmed receipt of the motion but chose not to respond, while Damagun’s lawyer, Akintayo Balogun, and Ude-Okoye’s counsel, E.E. Ekere, said they had received the documents and intended to respond. However, Koshoedo’s counsel, J.A. Musa, claimed they were not served.
Despite Njemanze’s insistence that all parties had been duly served, Justice Ekwo adjourned the case to May 19, 2025, for hearing and ruled that the ₦150,000 fine must be paid before the next date.
