A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has stopped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from holding its planned national convention slated for November 15 and 16 in Ibadan, Oyo State.
Justice James Omotosho issued the order, stating that the party failed to adhere to the provisions of its own constitution, the 1999 Constitution, and the Electoral Act. The court noted that the PDP did not conduct valid state congresses in 14 states, rendering the convention process defective.
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The case was instituted by three party officials namely Austine Nwachukwu, Amah Abraham Nnanna, and Turnah George, who argued that proceeding with the convention under the current circumstances would breach the law.
In their defense, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and some PDP officials claimed that the issue was purely an internal party matter. However, Justice Omotosho dismissed that argument, ruling that compliance with constitutional and legal provisions was a prerequisite for the convention to hold.
The court directed the PDP to “put its house in order” by organizing proper congresses and issuing the mandatory 21-day notice before attempting to reconvene the convention.
The ruling comes amid growing internal wrangling within the party, including allegations of forged documents and factional disputes over leadership and congress outcomes.
