Court Issues Form 48 Contempt Notice Against PDP’s Anyanwu, INEC Chairman

The PDP leadership crisis has taken another turn. An FCT High Court judge has issued a Form 48 Notice of Consequences of Disobedience against PDP National Secretary Samuel Anyanwu and INEC Chairman Prof. Joash Amupitan.

The notice, dated April 20, warns both men they risk imprisonment if they fail to comply with a January 12 judgment that dismissed Anyanwu’s challenge to his expulsion from the party.

Understanding Form 48

Form 48 isn’t a conviction—it’s a judicial warning. It tells the recipients that continued disobedience to a court order could result in contempt proceedings and potential jail time. It’s the legal equivalent of a final notice before enforcement action.

The underlying judgment dismissed Anyanwu’s suit challenging his March 2025 expulsion by the PDP’s National Disciplinary Committee. Despite that ruling, Anyanwu remained active in party affairs and was retained as national secretary during the Wike-backed convention in March 2026.

The Factional Fight Continues

The PDP remains split between two camps: the Tanimu Turaki-led faction backed by Governors Seyi Makinde and Bala Mohammed, and the Abdulrahman Mohammed faction supported by FCT Minister Nyesom Wike.

The Turaki camp has been pressing INEC to derecognize Anyanwu, arguing that his expulsion nullified his position. The Wike-backed faction insists Anyanwu’s leadership is legitimate pending appeal outcomes.

Here’s the complication: Anyanwu filed an appeal on April 10. But appeals don’t automatically stay execution of lower court judgments. The Turaki faction’s lawyers have made this point repeatedly in correspondence with INEC.

INEC’s Difficult Position

INEC Chairman Amupitan is named in the Form 48 notice because the commission recognized the Wike-backed leadership. The court is effectively saying that recognition may have violated its January judgment.

For INEC, this is a no-win situation. Recognize one faction, and the other sues. Recognize the other, and you’re back where you started. The commission has been here before with ADC, APGA, and other parties with internal disputes.

What This Means for 2027

A divided PDP affects Nigeria’s 2027 electoral landscape. The party remains the largest opposition force, but internal chaos makes it harder to present a unified front against the ruling APC.

The court’s intervention suggests judges are growing impatient with political actors who treat judicial decisions as optional. Form 48 is a reminder that court orders carry consequences—even for powerful political figures.

Both Anyanwu and Amupitan now face a choice: comply with the January judgment or test whether the court will follow through on its warning. Either way, the PDP’s leadership drama is far from over.

Sources: Punch Newspapers, ThisDay Live, Premium Times