A FEDERAL High Court in Abuja has issued a final order halting the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) 2025 national convention, effectively putting the party’s plans for a crucial leadership reshuffle on hold. The order was handed down on Friday by Justice Peter Lifu, who ruled that the opposition party must first comply with its constitution and internal guidelines before proceeding with the event scheduled for November 15 and 16 in Ibadan, Oyo State.
News Point Nigeria reports that the convention was intended to elect new national officers amid growing internal wrangling and competing political interests.
The ruling followed a suit filed by former Jigawa State governor, Sule Lamido, who alleged that the PDP unlawfully blocked him from purchasing a nomination form to contest for the office of national chairman.
Delivering judgment, Justice Lifu held that the PDP was under a binding obligation to provide equal opportunities to all eligible members seeking to vie for party positions. He described the party’s refusal to sell a nomination form to Lamido as a violation of its own constitution.
“The convention must be put on hold until the plaintiff is allowed to purchase a nomination form for the office of national chairman,” Justice Lifu declared. He added that the party must exhibit fairness, transparency, and internal democracy in all processes leading to the convention.
In addition to stopping the PDP from going ahead with the event, the court also prohibited the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from supervising, monitoring, or offering any support for the convention until Lamido is admitted into the race.
Lamido, through his counsel Jeph Njikonye, had argued in an ex parte motion filed on October 31, that the PDP was attempting to illegally exclude him from the contest. He prayed the court for an interim order preventing the convention from holding without his participation.
While Justice Lifu initially declined the interim request, he ordered the PDP and INEC to show cause within 72 hours why Lamido’s prayers should not be granted. After reviewing their responses, the court delivered Friday’s final decision in his favour.
The PDP’s convention has been the subject of conflicting court rulings, intensifying divisions within the opposition party.
On November 4, the Oyo State High Court issued a contrasting order directing the PDP and its acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, to proceed with the convention as planned. The order was secured via an ex parte motion filed by one Folahan Adelabi.
The development sparked outrage within some party circles. Key allies of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, accused the Oyo judge, Justice A. L. Akintola, of judicial misconduct and asked the National Judicial Council (NJC) to investigate and sanction him.
Despite legal uncertainties, PDP governors have insisted the national elective convention must go ahead.
At a high-level stakeholders’ meeting held Thursday night at the Bauchi State Governor’s Lodge, Asokoro, Abuja, the governors expressed determination to ensure the exercise is not derailed. Those in attendance included serving and former governors, National Working Committee (NWC) members, National Assembly members, Board of Trustees (BoT) members, state party chairmen, and other senior stakeholders.
Former Senate President Bukola Saraki has urged the PDP to temporarily shelve the convention and instead establish a caretaker committee to manage the party’s affairs until internal grievances are resolved.
Speaking after receiving a PDP BoT reconciliation team on Wednesday, Saraki argued that rushing into a convention amid tensions and court battles would only deepen the party’s crisis.
“My advice to the BOT team is that the only solution available to us now is for the party to set up a caretaker committee to steer the affairs of the party for the time being,” Saraki wrote on his X handle.
“This must be done in the next two days. This is the path to true reconciliation and stability of the party. It is also the best way to give confidence to our members who intend to contest elections on the PDP platform.”