Fresh Twist In PDP Crisis As Anyanwu Files Appeal Against Expulsion

A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Samuel Anyanwu, has taken his case to the Court of Appeal to challenge a judgment that upheld his expulsion from the party.

Anyanwu, who serves as the National Secretary of a faction within the PDP, filed his notice of appeal on April 10, contesting the earlier decision of the Federal Capital Territory High Court.

In his appeal, he argued that the lower court erred in dismissing his suit against the disciplinary measures taken by the party, faulting the ruling delivered by Justice Yusuf Halilu.

The court had previously held that the PDP disciplinary committee gave him a fair opportunity to defend himself and that he failed to prove that the process was fundamentally flawed.

The controversy dates back to March 2025, when a disciplinary panel led by Tom Ikimi recommended his expulsion over alleged anti-party activities, following a petition submitted by the PDP Young Generation Caucus.

The committee noted that Anyanwu did not honour its invitation to appear before it during the proceedings.

Subsequently, in November 2025, the PDP formally announced his expulsion during its national convention in Ibadan, alongside other prominent figures including Nyesom Wike and Ayo Fayose.

In his appeal, Anyanwu raised multiple grounds, challenging key aspects of the judgment and insisting that the court was wrong to conclude that his case was premature due to failure to exhaust internal party mechanisms.

He is seeking an order to overturn the decision of the lower court and nullify the ruling against him.

The respondents listed in the case include the acting PDP National Chairman, Iliya Umar Damagun, Tom Ikimi, Abdullahi Idris Uma, Talford Ongolo, Emma Ibeshi, Zainab Maina, Chille Igbawua, and Eyitayo Jegede.

The development comes amid an ongoing leadership crisis within the PDP, with rival factions laying claim to the party’s structure and pursuing multiple legal battles over its control.