By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The federal high court in Abuja has dismissed a suit instituted by Samuel Anyanwu seeking recognition as the national secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Mohammed Umar, the presiding judge, dismissed the suit on Tuesday after U. C. Njemanze‑Aku, Anyanwu’s lawyer, told the court that his client’s tenure as PDP’s national secretary expired in December 2025.

In the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/254/2025, Anyanwu had asked the court to restrain the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and Umar Damagum, the PDP chairman at the time, from accepting, acting on, or giving effect to any correspondence from the party not signed by him.

When the case came up for hearing on Tuesday, Anyanwu’s lawyer said the matter had been overtaken by events and should not proceed.

“In the interest of justice, I apply to withdraw this matter to save the time of the court,” he said.

Akintayo Balogun, INEC’s counsel, said the suit ought not to have been instituted in the first instance.

Balogun asked the court to dismiss the suit with a cost of N1 million.

M. O. Akpan, Damagum’s lawyer, adopted Balogun’s submission.

After hearing arguments from all parties, the judge dismissed the suit without awarding any costs.

“Since you have joined issues, I am going to dismiss this matter. The matter is hereby dismissed,” he ruled.

The PDP national secretary position was the subject of litigation, with Anyanwu, Sunday Udeh-Okoye, and Setonji Koshoedo laying claim to the office.

In December, a faction of the PDP, backed by Nyesom Wike, minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), dissolved the national working committee (NWC) and set up a caretaker panel.

Abdulrahman Mohammed was appointed as the chairman, with Anyanwu as secretary.

The caretaker panel was constituted following the expiration of the tenure of the PDP NWC elected in October 2021.

In November, a faction of the party backed by the PDP governors, including Bala Mohammed, governor of Bauchi, and Seyi Makinde of Oyo, held a convention and elected new NWC members, with Kabiru Turaki as chairman.

During the convention, the PDP expelled Wike and his allies, including Ayodele Fayose, former governor of Oyo, and Anyanwu, Bature, and Ajibade, among others.

The Wike group rejected the expulsion, formed a parallel NWC, board of trustees (BoT), NEC, and expelled members of the Makinde faction in turn.

By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

Former Minister of State for Education, Emeka Nwajiuba, has officially announced his intention to contest the 2027 presidential election under the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

In a statement released on Monday, January 19, Nwajiuba highlighted the pressing need for leadership capable of crafting sound policies, negotiating effectively, and engaging grassroots political structures across the country.

The former minister, who had also served as House of Representatives member for two consecutive times, had previously sought the presidency in 2023 on the All Progressives Congress (APC) platform but did not advance through the party’s primaries.

Reflecting on his qualifications, Nwajiuba said, according to the statement, that “my experience across the legislature, the executive arm of government and key national institutions has equipped me with a deep understanding of governance, public finance and policy formulation.”

The statement outlined that Nwajiuba’s campaign will prioritise education reform, economic stabilisation, and the restoration of public trust in government institutions, describing these areas as critical to Nigeria’s development.

It added, “Experience, policy depth and institutional knowledge will form the central pillars of the leadership he intends to offer.”

“With his declaration, Nwajiuba joins a growing list of aspirants aiming to shape the national conversation ahead of the next general election, as debates around competence, experience and inclusive governance continue to gain momentum,” the statement noted.

The announcement positions Nwajiuba among a field of candidates seeking to present alternatives to the current administration, emphasising technical competence and practical governance experience as defining features of his 2027 bid.

The Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) has urged men to actively join the fight against gender-based violence (GBV) and support the promotion of gender equality across communities.

The appeal was made on Monday during a one-day training organised for Male Feminist Network (MFN) champions at the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) headquarters in Kano.

The training, which attracted 70 participants, was organised for members of CAN, Kano State chapter. The programme was supported by the Ford Foundation through the African Centre for Leadership, Strategy and Development.

Speaking at the event, MFN Project Officer, Mr Sani Sa’idu, said the initiative was aimed at equipping men with the knowledge and skills to challenge gender-based violence and promote inclusive and respectful communities.

Sa’idu, who spoke on the topic “Gender, Feminism, Masculinities and GBV Awareness”, said the training was designed to build a movement of men committed to equality and the elimination of GBV.

“The aim of this training is to build a movement of men who are committed to equality, challenging harmful stereotypes and ending gender-based violence,” he said.

He added that the programme sought to empower men to become allies in the struggle for women’s rights and to advocate for inclusive and safe communities.

Also speaking, Apostle Samaila Joshua Asake, PhD, Chairman of the Youth Wing of CAN in Kano State, commended CITAD for taking the initiative to faith-based organisations.

Asake said engaging men, especially within religious institutions, was critical to addressing gender-based violence and fostering positive masculinity.

Similarly, the Secretary of CAN in Kano State, Rev. Ayuba Apollos Sabo, praised CITAD for organising the training and called for sustained collaboration to address social challenges.

“The church has a key role to play in promoting values of respect, justice and protection of the rights of women and girls,” Sabo said.

CITAD also used the occasion to call on men across communities to actively join efforts aimed at ending gender-based violence and promoting gender equality.