The Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed October 31 for judgment in a lawsuit seeking to stop the 2025 National Convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), following allegations of constitutional breaches in the build-up to the exercise.
Justice James Omotosho announced the date on Tuesday after hearing arguments from parties involved in the suit filed by three aggrieved members of the PDP. The plaintiffs—Hon. Austin Nwachukwu (Imo State PDP Chairman), Hon. Amah Abraham Nnanna (Abia State PDP Chairman), and Turnah Alabh George (PDP Secretary, South-South)—are seeking an order stopping the party from holding its convention slated for November 15 and 16 in Ibadan, Oyo State.
The suit lists nine defendants: the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the PDP, National Secretary Samuel Anyanwu, National Organizing Secretary Umar Bature, the PDP National Working Committee (NWC), National Executive Committee (NEC), Ambassador Umar Iliya Damagum, Ali Odefa, and Emmanuel Ogidi.
The plaintiffs contend that the proposed convention is illegal, alleging that it violates the PDP constitution because valid congresses were not conducted in 14 states before the notice of the convention was issued. They insist that proceeding with the exercise would undermine internal party democracy.
At Tuesday’s proceedings, Justice Omotosho restated his earlier order directing all parties to maintain the status quo pending the determination of the suit. He warned that any attempt to disregard the court’s directive would result in severe legal consequences, including the nullification of any action taken during the pendency of the matter.
Lead counsel to the plaintiffs, Joseph Daudu (SAN), urged the court to reject the argument that the case concerns internal party affairs. He argued that the plaintiffs were seeking to enforce compliance not only with the PDP Constitution but also with the 1999 Constitution and the Electoral Act 2022. Daudu noted that the law mandates INEC to monitor party congresses before they can be deemed valid.
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However, counsel to the acting PDP National Chairman, Ambassador Umar Damagum, Paul Erokoro (SAN), urged the court to decline jurisdiction, maintaining that issues surrounding party congresses and conventions were strictly internal matters. His position was supported by Eyitayo Jegede (SAN), representing the PDP’s NWC and NEC, who argued that Nigerian courts have consistently held that they lack jurisdiction to interfere in the internal affairs of political parties.
With judgment now scheduled for October 31, the future of the PDP’s planned national convention hangs in the balance as the court prepares to rule on whether it has the legal authority to intervene in the party’s internal processes.
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