Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja has halted the planned 2025 National Convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) until the party complied with the statutory requirements of the party, the Constitution and the Electoral Act.
The court gave the judgment in a suit filed by three aggrieved members of the party namely, Hon Austin Nwachukwu (Imo PDP chairman), Hon Amah Abraham Nnanna (Abia PDP chairman) and Turnah Alabh George (PDP Secretary, South-South). The trio sought the court to grant an order stopping the convention on the ground of violation to the Electoral law.
Delivering the judgment, the Judge restrained INEC from accepting report on the outcome of any national convention of the party without following the due process of the law as well as its guidelines and regulations.
The Judge held that INEC is not entitled to give effect to the convention a party not done in accordance with the Constitution, Electoral Act and the guidelines/regulations of political parties.
The plaintiffs instituted the suit seeking to stop the planned November 15 and 16, 2025 National Convention of the PDP scheduled for Ibadan in Oyo State where new National Officers are expected to be elected on the ground of breach of the party’s Constitution.
The nine defendants are, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC); PDP; Samuel Anyanwu, National Secretary of the party; Umar Bature, National Organizing Secretary of the party; National Working Committee (NWC); and National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party; Ambassador Umar Iliya Damagum; Ali Odefa; and Emmanuel Ogidi.
