A federal High Court sitting in the Federal Capital Territory has escalated the legal battle within the PDP by issuing a contempt warning against Samuel Anyanwu and Prof Joash Amupitan over alleged disobedience of a subsisting court judgment.
In a Form 48 notice dated April 20, 2026, the court warned both men that failure to comply with its January 12 ruling could result in imprisonment for contempt. The earlier judgment dismissed Anyanwu’s suit challenging his expulsion from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), effectively affirming the party’s disciplinary action against him.
The notice, tied to Suit No. CV/1050/2025 specifically directs Anyanwu and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) chairman to obey the court’s decision. It underscores that continued defiance would constitute contempt, a serious offence that could attract custodial sanctions.
PDP internal Crisis
The development adds another layer to the PDP’s deepening internal crisis, which has split the party into rival factions. One bloc, aligned with Tanimu Turaki and backed by governors including Seyi Makinde and Bala Mohammed, is contesting the legitimacy of a parallel leadership supported by Nyesom Wike.
Despite the January judgment, Anyanwu has continued to function as PDP national secretary under the Wike-backed faction, participating in the March 29–30, 2026 Abuja convention that produced a rival leadership. That faction has since received recognition from INEC, intensifying the dispute.
The Turaki-led camp has pushed back forcefully. In a letter dated April 16, 2026, addressed to INEC through senior advocate Abdullahi Ibrahim, the faction demanded immediate withdrawal of recognition for Anyanwu. It argued that the court ruling remains binding and enforceable under Section 287(3) of the 1999 Constitution, noting that an appeal filed by Anyanwu on April 10 does not amount to a stay of execution.
The faction warned that failure by INEC to comply could trigger contempt proceedings against the commission’s leadership, alongside fresh legal action challenging its decisions.
Legal analysts note that the issuance of Form 48 is a procedural step signalling that the court is prepared to enforce its orders through contempt proceedings if necessary. The case is expected to test the boundaries between party autonomy, electoral regulation, and judicial authority in Nigeria’s political system.
