Court Fixes October 31 for Judgment in Suit Seeking to Halt PDP National Convention

By our Correspondent

The Federal High Court in Abuja has scheduled October 31 for judgment in a suit seeking to halt the 2025 National Convention of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) over alleged violations of the party’s constitution.

Justice James Omotosho fixed the date on Tuesday after hearing arguments for and against the suit filed by three aggrieved PDP members — Hon.

The plaintiffs are seeking an order to stop the planned National Convention scheduled for November 15 and 16, 2025, in Ibadan, Oyo State, where new national officers are to be elected. They argued that the event would contravene provisions of the PDP constitution.

The nine defendants in the suit include the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), PDP, Samuel Anyanwu (National Secretary), Umar Bature (National Organizing Secretary), the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) and National Executive Committee (NEC), Ambassador Umar Iliya Damagum, Ali Odefa, and Emmanuel Ogidi.

During Tuesday’s proceedings, Justice Omotosho reiterated that his earlier order directing parties to maintain the status quo regarding the convention must be strictly obeyed, warning that he would not hesitate to nullify any action taken in defiance of the court’s directive.

Counsel to the plaintiffs, Joseph Daudu (SAN), urged the court to dismiss claims that the matter was an internal party affair, insisting it concerned enforcement of the 1999 Constitution, the Electoral Act 2022, and the PDP constitution.

Daudu argued that INEC is constitutionally mandated to monitor political party congresses before their outcomes can be deemed valid. He contended that no valid congresses were held in 14 states prior to the issuance of the convention notice by the PDP’s NWC and NEC.

However, counsel to the acting National Chairman of the PDP, Ambassador Umar Iliya Damagum, Paul Erokoro (SAN), urged the court to decline jurisdiction, maintaining that issues relating to congresses and conventions are internal matters of the party.

Eyitayo Jegede (SAN), representing the NWC and NEC, aligned with this position, emphasizing that the courts lack jurisdiction to interfere in the internal affairs of political parties.