Court halts PDP’s planned convention
The Federal High Court in Abuja has issued an order restraining the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from proceeding with its planned national convention, which was scheduled to take place in Ibadan, Oyo State, on November 15 and 16.
Delivering judgment, Justice James Omotosho ruled in favour of a suit filed by three dissatisfied members of the PDP.
The court found that the party had not complied with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the guidelines of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and its own internal constitution.
According to the court, the PDP failed to properly conduct state congresses before moving ahead with plans to elect its national officers at the convention. As a result, the judge ordered the party to first address its internal irregularities and issue the mandatory 21-day notice before rescheduling the convention.
The suit, filed under case number FHC/ABJ/CS/2120/2025, was brought by Hon. Austin Nwachukwu (Imo PDP Chairman), Hon. Amah Abraham Nnanna (Abia PDP Chairman), and Turnah Alabh George (PDP Secretary, South-South). They asked the court to stop the convention.
Read also: Court rejects Sule Lamido’s bid to halt PDP convention
The defendants included the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the PDP itself, the party’s National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu; the National Organising Secretary, Umar Bature; national officers Ali Odefa and Emmanuel Ogidi; as well as the National Working Committee (NWC) and National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party.
In his ruling, Justice Omotosho rejected the defendants’ preliminary objections, which argued that the matter concerned the internal affairs of the party and was therefore outside the court’s jurisdiction.
Details later…
