***Party Commends Apex Court for Upholding Party Supremacy
The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has welcomed the judgment of the Supreme Court, which reaffirmed the party’s autonomy in managing its internal affairs, including leadership appointments.
In its ruling, the apex court held that the selection of party officers—such as the National Secretary—remains an internal matter governed solely by the PDP’s constitution and processes. The court declared that the judiciary has no jurisdiction over such internal decisions, provided they comply with the party’s guidelines and legal frameworks.
The PDP said the judgment has now “emphatically settled” the emergence of Rt. Hon. SKE Udeh-Okoye as the substantive National Secretary of the party. According to the party, Udeh-Okoye was duly nominated, endorsed, and ratified by the PDP’s statutory organs in line with its constitution (as amended in 2017).
For context, the NWC explained that at its 576th meeting on October 11, 2023, it directed the South East Zonal Executive Committee to nominate a replacement for Senator Samuel Anyanwu, who had emerged as the PDP’s governorship candidate for the November 2023 Imo State election.
Following this directive, the South East Zonal Executive Committee met on October 20, 2023, and passed a resolution approving Udeh-Okoye as Anyanwu’s replacement. Subsequently, the NWC at its 577th meeting on November 7, 2023, deliberated on and approved Udeh-Okoye’s emergence as the party’s National Secretary.
The PDP emphasized that the appointment was further endorsed by other key organs of the party, including the Board of Trustees (BoT), the South East Zonal Caucus, and the PDP Governors’ Forum. The party also noted that Udeh-Okoye’s appointment had been duly communicated to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and made public.
The party commended the Supreme Court for upholding the principle of party supremacy in the management of internal affairs, describing the ruling as a victory for democracy.
The NWC called on all party members to remain united and committed to the collective progress of the PDP.
