Abuja Court Again Halts PDP National Convention

A Federal High Court in Abuja has once again stopped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from holding its planned national convention, scheduled for November 15 and 16 in Ibadan, Oyo State.

Justice Peter Lifu issued the restraining order on Tuesday following an application by former Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido, who argued that he was unfairly denied the opportunity to buy the nomination form for the party’s national chairmanship.

The court also barred the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from supervising, monitoring, or recognising any outcome of the convention.

Justice Lifu said the PDP failed to follow legal procedures required for the exercise, including publishing the timetable for the convention. He added that Lamido would suffer irreparable harm if unlawfully excluded from the process.

“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.

The court stressed that it was fulfilling its constitutional duty under Section 6 of the 1999 Constitution and warned that failure to enforce the law could lead to anarchy.

This is the second time a court has halted the PDP’s convention. In October, Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja ordered the convention stopped, citing violations of the Electoral Act, the PDP Constitution, and the Nigerian Constitution. The suit was filed by three aggrieved party members – Austin Nwachukwu (Imo PDP Chairman), Amah Abraham Nnanna (Abia PDP Chairman), and Turnah Alabh George (PDP Secretary, South-South).

Earlier, on November 4, the Oyo State High Court had granted the party permission to go ahead with its convention following an ex-parte application by Folahan Adelabi. However, the substantive hearing of a motion filed by Adelabi was adjourned to allow both parties to exchange necessary processes.

The PDP has not issued a response to the latest court ruling.