By Fatimah Idera and Helen Okechukwu
The political turbulence within the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has taken a more dynamic turn following a recent judicial ruling that threatens the party’s forthcoming planned national convention and further exposes its internal conflict.
A Federal High Court in Abuja has again restrained the Peoples Democratic Party from holding its planned national convention scheduled for November 15 and 16 in Ibadan, Oyo State.
Justice Peter Lifu, in a ruling on Tuesday, also stopped the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from supervising or recognising any outcome of the convention, where new national officers were to be elected.
The decision followed a suit filed by former Jigawa State governor, Sule Lamido, who claimed he was denied the chance to obtain the nomination form for the national chairmanship race, effectively excluding him from the process.
Justice Lifu ruled that the PDP failed to follow due process, noting that the party did not publish a timetable for the exercise as required by law. He said Lamido would suffer greater harm if excluded, stressing that adherence to the rule of law was essential for democracy.
“In a constitutional democracy, due process of law must be strictly observed by those in authority. To act otherwise is to endanger the very foundation of democracy itself,” the judge said, adding that courts must uphold justice without fear or favour.
The court therefore ordered that the PDP should not hold its convention on the scheduled dates or any other date, and directed INEC not to monitor or recognise any outcome from such an event.
The PDP had said 3,000 delegates were prepared to converge in Ibadan, Oyo State, for the while the ongoing controversy continues among the two warring camps in the party.
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The controversy began as a fight over zoning and control of party machinery, where NEC decisions and micro-zoning proposals — including a move to zone the presidential slot to the South and to micro-zone key offices — provoked protests from northern zones and factions in the South (notably the Nyesom Wike camp).
State stakeholders in Lagos and Osun publicly rejected parts of the zoning formula, elevating provincial grievances into a national dispute over fairness and succession strategy. The zoning row hardened existing factional divides and made the convention itself a political agenda rather than a mere administrative exercise.
Beyond zoning, contests for control of the national chairmanship and other offices intensified. Reports show sustained conflict between the Damagum-led NWC/acting leadership and the camp aligned with Nyesom Wike and other governors — a tussle that framed the convention as a referendum on the party’s direction ahead of the 2027 polls.
However, the intra-party battles spilled into the courts as litigation was filed to stop the convention, and at least one Federal High Court order briefly halted the planned event. Judges have repeatedly been drawn into procedural and jurisdictional tussles over whether the party may proceed while motions are pending.
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Recall that the court ruling raises urgent questions about the legality and legitimacy of the planned national convention, as the Federal High Court, presided over by Judge James Omotosho in Abuja on 31 October 2025, ruled that the party’s national convention was scheduled to be held between 15 and 16 November in Ibadan, Oyo State.
In the most recent development, hearings in the Oyo State High Court have been adjourned again amid heavy security and restricted media access, prolonging uncertainty about whether the convention will occur on its scheduled dates. The legal angle has become a central mechanism for factions to buy time or try to block rival outcomes.
According to the court ruling, the PDP lacks the mandate to conduct a national convention due to its failure to hold valid state congresses earlier, and the court noted that the party violated the Nigerian Constitution, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) guidelines, and its own party constitution.
As a result of the judgment, the party has been mandated to meet the necessary prerequisites and issue the statutory 21-day notice before proceeding with the convention, while on 16 October, the court had earlier directed the party to maintain the status quo.
Also, 14 out of 17 remaining members of the NWC met on 1 November 2025 and suspended Anyanwu, Bature, Ajibade, and the Deputy National Legal Adviser, Okechukwu Onuoha.
Having been suspended by the leadership of the party, and in line with the constitution of the PDP, the NWC meeting is at the instance of the National Chairman, and the National Chairman in this case is Umar Damagum.
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Some other three members are suspended, and with their suspension, they lose every right to participate in party meetings.
In a phone interview with the media, Anyanwu said, “The convention, if it holds, will amount to contempt of court, and whoever is organising it will cause a problem for the party.
“Even if a governor organises it, it will be a nullity. The law has been spoken, and of course, INEC will not recognise it. I am the National Secretary of the party. There must be communication with INEC within 21 days for a convention to take place. This has not been complied with.”
The whole saga shows that if the convention proceeds under a legal cloud or with rival delegate lists, its outcomes may be legally vulnerable, weakening whoever wins and prolonging infighting, while a bruising convention could erode the PDP’s campaigning coherence against the ruling APC ahead of 2027. This might lead to opportunities for the ruling party to capitalise on opposition disunity.
