PDP crisis: Court moves against INEC chair, Anyanwu

The High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Abuja has issued a notice warning the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof Joash Amupitan, and Peoples Democratic Party National Secretary Samuel Anyanwu over alleged failure to obey an earlier court judgment, with the court stating they could face contempt proceedings if the order is ignored.

The notice, contained in Form 48 dated April 20, 2026, followed a judgment delivered on January 12, 2026, which dismissed Anyanwu’s suit challenging his expulsion from the PDP. The court’s warning is part of enforcement steps tied to that judgment and was directed at both Anyanwu and the INEC chairman.

According to court documents in the case, Anyanwu was listed as respondent, while some members of the PDP leadership aligned with the party’s National Executive Committee were listed as applicants. The notice warned that continued refusal to comply with the court ruling could attract legal consequences, including imprisonment for contempt.

The dispute is linked to the long-running leadership crisis in the PDP, where rival factions have continued to battle for control of the party through political moves and court actions. The disagreement deepened after Anyanwu’s expulsion over allegations of anti-party activities, a move later followed by more divisions within the party.

After his expulsion, Anyanwu approached the court to challenge the decision, but the case was dismissed in January. Though he later filed an appeal in April, another faction within the party argued that the appeal did not stop the earlier judgment from taking effect.

The matter grew more complicated after Anyanwu participated in a convention backed by the Nyesom Wike-aligned faction, where a new leadership structure emerged and received recognition from INEC. That development led the opposing faction led by Tanimu Turaki to demand that the electoral commission withdraw recognition of Anyanwu as national secretary.

In a letter sent to INEC, the faction argued that the January court judgment remained binding and that Anyanwu could no longer act for the party following his expulsion. It also warned of possible further legal action, including contempt proceedings, if the commission continued to recognise him despite the ruling.

With several related cases still pending in court, the latest notice has added another layer to the PDP crisis as legal and political battles over the party’s leadership continue ahead of the 2027 elections.