By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

ABUJA– The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, on Thursday, urged the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court to hands off the suit Senator Samuel Anyanwu filed to challenge his removal as the National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

The electoral body, in a counter-affidavit it filed in opposition to the suit, argued that it would be in the interest of justice for all the parties to await the outcome of an appeal on the dispute, already pending before the Supreme Court.

In a 10 paragraphed affidavit that was deposed to by one Mohammed Ayuba, INEC said it was in line with its powers, as well as its Regulations, Guidelines and Manuals, that any correspondence between it and political parties, must be signed by both the National Chairman and National Secretary of the political parties.

The Commission told the court that it deliberately decided all these while, not to comment on Anyanwu’s legal action.

“That the 1st defendant did not intend to join issues with the plaintiff, pending the determination of the appeal at the Supreme Court,” INEC stated

Besides, it argued that “the courts jurisdiction is ousted in matters dealing with internal affairs of political parties.”

At the resumed proceeding in the matter, counsel to INEC, Mr. Ahmed Mohammed, drew the attention of the court to the counter-affidavit his client filed against Senator Anyanwu’s suit, on March 7.

Likewise, other defendants in the case indicated that they filed preliminary objections to challenge the competence of the suit.

On his part, Chief Udeh-Okoye Enemchukwu, who the party had since endorsed as Senator Anyanwu’s replacement, told the court that all the parties had since entered their respective briefs of argument before the Supreme Court.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2025/03/pdp-crisis-inec-asks-court-to-hands-off-anyanwus-case/