Former national secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, Samuel Anyanwu, has filed a Notice of Appeal before the Court of Appeal, challenging the judgment of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, which dismissed his suit and affirmed his recommended expulsion from the party.

Anyanwu, alongside some other members of the party including FCT minister, Nyesom Wike and former Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose, were expelled during the party’s November 2025 elective national convention in Ibadan, Oyo State, following the adoption of a motion on alleged anti-party activities.

The appeal, dated April 10, 2026, was filed at the Abuja Judicial Division of the appellate court against the January 12, 2026, judgment delivered by Justice Yusuf Halilu in suit No. FCT/HC/CV/1050/2025.

In the Notice of Appeal, Anyanwu, listed as appellant, is contesting the decision against nine respondents, including the PDP, its immediate-past acting National Chairman, Amb Umar Damagum, and members of the party’s National Executive Committee.

The appellant is urging the appellate court to set aside the entire decision of the lower court, which declined jurisdiction on the basis that the matter constituted an internal party dispute.

Court documents showed that Anyanwu, in his nine grounds of appeal, is challenging the whole decision of the trial court.

Under the grounds of appeal, he faulted the trial judge’s finding that his failure to exhaust internal remedies rendered the suit premature and incompetent.

Quoting the lower court, the appeal stated: “The plaintiff’s failure to exhaust the internal remedies provided by the 2nd Defendant’s Constitution renders this suit premature and incompetent, and the jurisdiction of this Court is thereby ousted.”

He argued that the conclusion occasioned a miscarriage of justice, maintaining that his suit sought declaratory and injunctive relief on the competence of the PDP’s National Disciplinary Committee to entertain allegations against him.

According to him, the issues raised bordered on his constitutional right to a fair hearing and the legality of the disciplinary process.

“The complaints of the appellant touch and concern his constitutional rights (particularly right to fair hearing) and the violation of the Constitution of the Peoples Democratic Party,” the appeal read.

Anyanwu further contended that the suit challenged the legality, constitutionality and conduct of the disciplinary proceedings, including the findings and recommendations of the National Disciplinary Committee led by High Chief Tom Ikimi.

He insisted that his grievances transcended the internal affairs of the party and were therefore justiciable, adding that the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria remains supreme over party rules.

“The appellant has unfettered access to the court to ventilate his grievances and seek appropriate remedy,” he stated, adding that the suit was not premature and that the lower court had jurisdiction to entertain it.

On another ground, he faulted the trial court’s conclusion that his claims did not fall within any recognised exception to the doctrine of non-justiciability of intra-party disputes.