A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, Samuel Anyanwu, has approached the Court of Appeal to challenge a judgment affirming his expulsion from the party.
PrimeTimes Nigeria reports that Anyanwu, who is the national secretary of a faction of the PDP, filed the notice of appeal on April 10.
In the appeal, Anyanwu argued that the Federal Capital Territory High Court erred in dismissing his suit against the disciplinary action taken by the party.
He faulted the ruling delivered by Justice Yusuf Halilu, which upheld the recommendation of the PDP disciplinary committee.
The court had held that the committee gave him an opportunity to defend himself and that he failed to prove that the process was “fundamentally defective.”
In March 2025, the Tom Ikimi-led disciplinary committee recommended Anyanwu’s expulsion over alleged anti-party activities following a petition by the PDP Young Generation Caucus.
The committee noted that he failed to appear before it despite being invited.
Subsequently, in November 2025, the PDP announced the expulsion of Anyanwu alongside the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and former Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose, during its national convention in Ibadan. Other party members were also affected by the decision.
Anyanwu anchored his appeal on nine grounds, challenging key aspects of the lower court’s decision.
He argued that the trial judge erred in holding that his failure to exhaust internal party remedies rendered the suit premature.
The appellant also faulted the court for ruling that he invited it to determine the propriety of actions taken by a political party organ.
He is seeking an order setting aside the judgment of the lower court.
Those listed as respondents include the acting National Chairman of the PDP, 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.
One faction is led by Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, while another, loyal to Wike, is headed by Abdulrahman Mohammed. Both groups have instituted multiple legal actions over control of the party, further deepening internal divisions.