The Federal High Court in Abuja has stopped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from holding its planned national convention in Ibadan, ruling that the party failed to follow constitutional and electoral procedures.
Delivering judgment in suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/2120/2025, Justice James Omotosho ordered that the exercise be suspended until the PDP fulfils all statutory obligations required by its constitution, the 1999 Constitution, and the Electoral Act.
The case was brought by three dissatisfied party officials, Austin Nwachukwu (Imo PDP chairman), Amah Abraham Nnanna (Abia PDP chairman), and Turnah Alabh George (PDP Secretary, South-South). They argued that the planned convention breached both internal and national legal frameworks governing political party administration.
Nine defendants were listed in the suit: the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the PDP, Samuel Anyanwu (National Secretary), Umar Bature (National Organising Secretary), the National Working Committee, the National Executive Committee, Ambassador Umar Iliya Damagum, Ali Odefa, and Emmanuel Ogidi.
In his ruling, Justice Omotosho held that “the evidence before the court established that the party failed to comply with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the INEC guidelines, and the PDP’s own constitution.”
He added that the party did not conduct valid state congresses before planning the convention to elect national officers.
Consequently, the judge directed the PDP “to go back and put its house in order, and to give the statutory 21-day notice to INEC before it can proceed with the proposed convention.”
Justice Omotosho also restrained INEC from accepting or recognising the outcome of any PDP convention not conducted in line with due process, stating that “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.”
The court further dismissed preliminary objections from the defendants who argued that the issue was an internal party matter, affirming that the PDP’s disregard for statutory procedures placed the matter within judicial review.
