Again, Court stops PDP national convention

Restrains INEC from monitoring, supervising, recognising outcome of exercise

.PDP is ‘dead’ now, former Ekiti gov, Fayose declares

.Those against PDP convention pushing for one-party state — Olafeso

Emeka Agu Jnr with agency reports

A Federal High Court in Abuja, on Tuesday, restrained the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from going ahead with its scheduled national convention pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit filed by former Governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido,

The party had earlier fixed its national convention for November 15 and 16 in Ibadan, Oyo State.

The order was given in a suit by Lamido challenging his inability to get the PDP Nomination Form to contest for the National Chairmanship position despite paying for the Form.

Justice Peter Lifu, in a ruling, also restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from monitoring, supervising or recognising the outcome of the convention, pending the hearing and determination of the suit before him.

Justice Lifu held that the application filed by the applicant, Lamido, was meritorious and accordingly succeeds.

The judge, who noted the judgment delivered by Justice James Omotosho on Oct. 31 stopping PDP from holding the convention, held that it would be in the interest of justice to grant Lamido’s request.

He said if PDP is allowed to go ahead with the event, the former governor would suffer more, hence, it was necessary to grant the preservative order.

It would be recalled that Lamido had dragged the PDP before the Federal High Court in Abuja, seeking an order to halt its forthcoming national convention scheduled for November 15 and 16 in Ibadan, Oyo State.

In the lawsuit marked FHC/ABJ/CD/2229/2025, filed by his counsel, Jephthah Chikodi Njikonye (SAN), former Governor Lamido has requested the court to prevent the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from proceeding with or supervising the upcoming convention.

Lamido alleged that he was “unlawfully and illegally denied” access to the nomination form required to contest for the position of national chairman at the Ibadan convention. He claimed that the actions of the PDP violated its constitution and internal guidelines, which guarantee equal opportunities for all eligible members to participate in internal elections.

He argued that the planning process for the convention excluded key stakeholders and did not comply with the party’s constitutional requirements.

The former Jigawa State governor contended that the decision to deny him a nomination form constitutes a breach of natural justice and insists that the process should be halted until this issue is resolved.

The plaintiff is seeking a mandatory injunction that would compel the PDP to issue him a nomination form for the position of national chairman before any convention can take place.

Additionally, Lamido urged the court to prevent INEC from supervising, aiding, or recognising any convention conducted without his participation, cautioning that such actions would grant illegal legitimacy to an unconstitutional process.

Recall that previously, Justice Peter Lifu refused to grant Lamido’s request for an interim order restraining the PDP and INEC from proceeding with the convention.

Instead, the judge instructed both defendants to appear in court to explain why Lamido’s requests should not be granted.

However, on Tuesday, the court ruled in favour of Lamido after the involved parties presented their cases.

The Daily Monitor recalls that In October 2025, the Federal High Court in Abuja stopped the PDP from proceeding with its planned national convention.

In the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2120/2025, Justice James Omotosho ordered that the convention be halted until the party complies with the statutory requirements of its constitution, the Nigerian Constitution, and the Electoral Act.

The suit was instituted by three aggrieved members of the party, Austin Nwachukwu (Imo PDP Chairman), Amah Abraham Nnanna (Abia PDP Chairman), and Turnah Alabh George (PDP Secretary, South-South).

They asked the court to stop the PDP’s scheduled national convention in Ibadan, where new national officers were expected to be elected, arguing that the planned convention violated the Electoral Act and the PDP’s internal rules.

However, on November 4, the Oyo State High Court granted the PDP approval to proceed with its convention.

Justice Akintola issued an interim order permitting the party to continue its convention plans without obstruction, following an ex-parte motion filed by Folahan Adelabi against the PDP, its Acting National Chairman Umar Damagum, Governor Ahmadu Fintiri (Chairman of the National Convention Organising Committee) and INEC.

Justice Akintola, however, on Monday, adjourned the hearing of a Motion on Notice in a separate suit filed by Folahan Malomo Adelabi against the PDP, its acting National Chairman, and other respondents.

The judge explained that the adjournment was to allow both parties to file and exchange all necessary processes before the substantive hearing could begin.

Meanwhile, former Ekiti State governor, Ayodele Fayose, says the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is now “dead” following the latest court decision stopping the party from holding its national convention.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today, on Tuesday night, Fayose said the PDP’s internal crisis had worsened because many of its key figures had abandoned the party.

“I said to you about a year ago that the PDP is in trouble and if we don’t have a solution on time, the party will be dead, and the party is dead now,” he said.

“I have said it repeatedly on this programme and I’ve been able to tell Nigerians, the challenges confronted by a party whose big heads jump out of the water. That clearly shows you the challenge of the PDP, and who is going to save Jerusalem, when the people who are supposed to save Jerusalem have jumped out of the water,” he added.

Fayose’s remarks came hours after the Federal High Court in Abuja restrained the PDP from proceeding with its national convention scheduled for November 15 and 16 in Ibadan, Oyo State.

Fayose said only urgent reconciliation efforts and sincerity from senior leaders could revive the party, adding that delays would further weaken its relevance.

However, former National Vice Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Eddy Olafeso, has accused those opposing the party’s national convention of working to establish a one-party state in Nigeria.

Olafeso made the allegation on Tuesday while speaking as a guest on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme.

Reacting to the Federal High Court’s order stopping the PDP from holding its national convention scheduled for November 15 to 16 in Ibadan, Olafeso described the decision as “the climax of judicial rascality”.

“The restraining order from the Federal High Court today against our scheduled convention did not come as a shock to us.

“A group is focused on ensuring that they destroy the party completely, but we will not allow it. Good will prevail over evil,” he said.

Olafeso insisted that the party would not be deterred by the ruling, expressing optimism that the convention would still hold.

“We will not allow this. I’m energised, like many of our colleagues, that this shall not stand. The truth and justice must prevail,” he stated.

He also alleged that those working against the PDP had ulterior motives aimed at weakening the opposition.

Olafeso also criticised some former party members for betraying the PDP after benefiting from it.

 “They have their agenda. It is not for the people. It is to entrench a one-party state, and that cannot occur well for our country.

“Many of them were unknown until they became governors. What baffles us is the level of their rebellion against the same party that brought them from obscurity to the limelight,” the party chieftain stated.

“They made promises. Even Governor Sule Lamido said he would stay in the PDP and work for the coalition. Yet, some of them now openly support another party for the 2027 election,” Olafeso added.