By Eteteonline
In order to elect important party officials, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) planned its national convention for Ibadan, Oyo State, from 15 to 16 November 2025. A lawsuit was brought by some PDP members who opposed the convention, arguing that certain precedents had not been fulfilled before the meeting was held.
The plaintiffs are Turnah George, the party’s secretary for the South-South zone; Austin Nwachukwu, the chairperson of the Imo State chapter; and Amah Nnanna, his equivalent in Abia State.
The PDP, the National Electoral Commission (INEC), the National Secretary of the party, Samuel Anyanwu, the National Organising Secretary, Umar Bature, the National Working Committee (NWC), the National Executive Committee (NEC), the acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, Ali Odefa, and Emmanuel Ogidi are the nine defendants included in the lawsuit.
Joseph Daudu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), the plaintiffs’ attorney, contended that the court should not consider the allegations to be party internal matters because the action was about ensuring adherence to the Nigerian Constitution, the Electoral Act 2022, and the PDP constitution.
Before the PDP’s National Working Committee and National Executive Committee sent out the notice for the planned convention, the plaintiffs claimed that no legitimate congresses had been held in 14 states. He maintained that before political parties’ congresses could be considered legitimate, the Nigerian Constitution required the INEC to oversee them.
Paul Erokoro, a SAN and the attorney for the PDP national chairman, requested that the judge deny jurisdiction, claiming that convention and congress-related issues are party internal affairs. Eyitayo Jegede, a SAN and counsel to the party’s NWC and NEC, agreed with that stance, arguing that the court cannot meddle in a political party’s internal matters.
The Federal High Court in Abuja, which is presided over by Justice James Omotosho, halted the planned national convention in its ruling on Friday, October 31, 2025. The court ruled that before moving forward with the proposed convention, the PDP needs to fulfill the requirements, which include delivering the required 21-day notice. The court further excluded INEC from the proposed convention’s conclusion, citing the party’s failure to organize legitimate state congresses before moving to host the convention to pick its national leadership. He declared that the national convention’s planning was against the PDP constitution, the Nigerian constitution, and the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) rules.
Earlier, the defendants challenged the court’s jurisdiction to become involved in what they claimed was a political party’s internal matter, but the judge rejected their preliminary arguments.
However, the PDP has instructed its members nationwide to continue preparing for the national convention even as it plans to appeal the ruling.
Add comment