Court Again Halts PDP 2025 Convention, Bars INEC from Recognizing Outcome

For the second time, the Federal High Court in Abuja has stopped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from holding its 2025 National Convention scheduled to take place in Ibadan, Oyo State, between November 15 and 16.

The court also restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from supervising, monitoring, or recognizing the outcome of the planned convention where national officers were to be elected.

Justice Peter Odo Lifu, who issued the fresh order on Tuesday, gave the ruling in response to an application filed by former Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido.

Lamido, a founding member of the PDP, had approached the court, alleging that he was denied the opportunity to obtain the nomination form for the chairmanship position, thereby preventing him from participating in the convention.

Justice Lifu based his ruling on the party’s failure to comply with relevant provisions of the law and the conditions governing the conduct of such conventions.

According to the judge, evidence presented by Lamido indicated that the timetable for the convention was not duly published for the attention of party members as required by law.

He further held that the balance of convenience favored Lamido, who stood to suffer greater harm if unlawfully excluded from the convention.

To mitigate potential damages, the former governor was directed to undertake to pay compensation to the PDP if his suit was eventually found to be frivolous.

Justice Lifu emphasized that in a constitutional democracy, due process must be strictly observed by those in authority, warning that any deviation could jeopardize democratic governance.

He reiterated that, under Section 6 of the 1999 Constitution, the courts must never abdicate their responsibility to dispense justice without fear or favor, stressing that anarchy would prevail if courts failed to uphold the law.

In his final order, Justice Lifu restrained the PDP from proceeding with the planned convention in Ibadan or any other location and barred INEC from supervising, monitoring, or recognizing the outcome of any such gathering.

It will be recalled that Justice James Omotosho of the same court had, on October 31, issued a similar order preventing INEC from supervising or recognizing the outcome of the PDP’s convention over failure to follow due process.

Justice Omotosho held that the PDP did not issue the mandatory 21-day notice for meetings and congresses, as required to enable INEC perform its statutory monitoring role.

He maintained that the party’s failure to comply with the law placed the planned convention in jeopardy and advised the PDP to rectify the legal lapses before proceeding with the exercise.

Consequently, Justice Omotosho also restrained INEC from receiving, publishing, or recognizing the outcome of any convention held by the PDP until full compliance with the law is achieved.