The Federal High Court in Abuja has stopped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from proceeding with its planned national convention scheduled for November 15 and 16 in Ibadan, Oyo State, over alleged violations of constitutional and electoral guidelines.
Delivering judgment on Friday, Justice James Omotosho upheld a suit filed by three aggrieved members of the party Hon. Austin Nwachukwu (Imo PDP Chairman), Hon. Amah Abraham Nnanna (Abia PDP Chairman), and Turnah Alabh George (PDP Secretary, South-South) who accused the PDP of failing to comply with the 1999 Constitution (as amended), INEC guidelines, and its own party constitution before fixing the convention.
The court held that evidence before it proved the party did not conduct valid state congresses across the federation prior to convening the national convention to elect new national officers.
Justice Omotosho ruled that the party’s decision was unlawful and directed the PDP to “go back and put its house in order” before calling any convention. He further ordered that the statutory 21-day notice required by law be duly issued before a fresh date is set.
The judge also dismissed preliminary objections filed by the defendants the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the PDP, Senator Samuel Anyanwu (National Secretary), Umar Bature (National Organising Secretary), Ali Odefa, Emmanuel Ogidi, and the National Working Committee (NWC) and National Executive Committee (NEC) who had argued that the matter was an internal party affair beyond judicial interference.
The ruling is the latest twist in the lingering crisis rocking the opposition party.
In June, reports emerged that Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, met with some South-South and South-East PDP stakeholders allegedly to frustrate the national convention initially slated for August 28. The meeting reportedly influenced proposals to postpone the exercise to October.
However, the PDP Governors’ Forum, in September, cautioned Wike and others against derailing the process, with the convention later fixed for November 15 and 16, 2025, in Ibadan.
Earlier this week, the National Convention Organising Committee (NCOC), chaired by Adamawa State Governor Umaru Fintiri, postponed the screening of aspirants for the convention, citing “unforeseen circumstances.”
“A new date will be communicated once fixed. The NCOC regrets any inconvenience caused by the postponement,” the committee stated.
With the latest court ruling, analysts believed the development could further deepen the leadership crisis within the PDP ahead of the 2027 general elections.
