The Peoples Democratic Party’s(pdp) planned national convention, which was set to take place in Ibadan, Oyo State, on November 15 and 16, was halted by the Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday, till further notice.
In a lawsuit with the case number FHC/ABJ/CS/2120/2025, Justice James Omotosho issued an injunction to halt the convention until the party complies with the provisions of the Electoral Act, the Nigerian Constitution, and its own constitution.
Three angry party members filed the lawsuit: Turnah Alabh George (PDP Secretary, South-South), Austin Nwachukwu (Imo PDP chairman), and Amah Abraham Nnanna (Abia PDP chairman).
The plaintiffs requested that the court halt the party’s planned national convention in Ibadan, where it was anticipated that new national executives would be chosen. They claimed that the meeting would violate both the party’s internal policies and the Electoral Act.
The Independent National Electoral Commission, the PDP, Umar Bature (National Organising Secretary), Samuel Anyanwu (National Secretary of the PDP), the National Working Committee, the National Executive Committee, Ambassador Umar Iliya Damagum, Ali Odefa, and Emmanuel Ogidi are the nine defendants in the case.
In the ruling, Justice Omotosho concluded that the evidence presented to the court proved the party’s noncompliance with the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the INEC instructions, and the PDP’s own constitution.
Prior to organising the planned national convention to pick its national officials, the court determined that the PDP had not held legitimate state congresses.
As a result, Justice Omotosho ordered the PDP to “give the statutory 21-day notice to INEC before it can proceed with the proposed convention, and to go back and put its house in order.”
Additionally, the judge prohibited INEC from acknowledging or accepting the results of any People’s democratic party national convention that is not held in compliance with the law, due process, and INEC’s own rules.
According to the court, INEC is not entitled to give effect to the outcome of any political party convention that fails to comply with the provisions of the Constitution, the Electoral Act, and relevant party guidelines.
Additionally, the court rejected the defendants’ preliminary arguments contesting its jurisdiction on the grounds that the issue was a party internal matter.
