Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, has fixed a date to hear a suit filed by three Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) officials seeking to stop the party’s planned national convention scheduled for November 15 and 16 in Ibadan, Oyo State.
The decision followed the adoption of processes and presentation of arguments by counsel representing both the plaintiffs and the defendants.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the plaintiffs — Austin Nwachukwu (Imo PDP Chairman), Amah Nnanna (Abia PDP Chairman), and Turnah Alabh George (PDP Secretary, South-South) — filed the suit against several defendants, including the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the PDP, its National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu; National Organising Secretary, Umar Bature; the National Working Committee (NWC); and the National Executive Committee (NEC).
Also joined in the case are the PDP National Chairman, Umar Damagum; Ali Odefa; and Emmanuel Ogidi, listed as the 7th to 9th defendants respectively.
The plaintiffs are asking the court to restrain the PDP from proceeding with its planned convention, arguing that no valid congresses were conducted in 14 states before the party’s leadership issued a notice for the event.
At Tuesday’s sitting, Justice Omotosho reiterated his earlier directive that all parties must maintain the status quo pending the court’s decision, warning that his order must not be disregarded.
Counsel to the plaintiffs, Joseph Daudu (SAN), urged the court to dismiss claims that the matter was an internal party affair, arguing instead that the plaintiffs’ grievances were aimed at ensuring compliance with the 1999 Constitution, the Electoral Act 2022, and the PDP Constitution.
Daudu maintained that INEC is constitutionally mandated to monitor party congresses before their outcomes can be deemed valid.
However, counsel representing the PDP National Chairman, Paul Erokoro (SAN), urged the court to decline jurisdiction, insisting that matters relating to conventions and congresses fall strictly within the internal affairs of political parties.
