Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja has scheduled October 31 for judgment in a suit seeking to stop the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from holding its 2025 National Convention over alleged violations of party rules.
The date was fixed after the court heard arguments from parties involved in the suit, filed by three aggrieved PDP members.
At Tuesday’s hearing, Justice Omotosho reiterated his earlier order directing all parties to maintain the status quo regarding the convention, warning that any violation could lead to the nullification of actions taken while the matter remains pending.
Arguing for the plaintiffs, Joseph Daudu (SAN) urged the court not to dismiss the case as an internal party issue, but to treat it as a constitutional matter involving the PDP’s failure to comply with the 1999 Constitution, the Electoral Act 2022, and its own internal rules.
Daudu said the plaintiffs were challenging the validity of the planned November 15–16 convention in Ibadan, Oyo State, on the grounds that no proper congresses were held in 14 states before the National Working Committee (NWC) and National Executive Committee (NEC) issued a notice for the convention.
He added that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is constitutionally required to monitor party congresses for them to be valid, which did not occur in this case.
Opposing the suit, Paul Erokoro (SAN), counsel to Acting PDP National Chairman Umar Damagum, urged the court to decline jurisdiction, describing the dispute as an internal party matter. This position was backed by Eyitayo Jegede (SAN), representing the party’s NWC and NEC.
The plaintiffs — Austin Nwachukwu (Imo PDP Chairman), Amah Abraham Nnanna (Abia PDP Chairman), and Turnah George (PDP Secretary, South-South) — argued that the planned convention violates the PDP Constitution and should be halted.
The defendants in the suit include INEC, the PDP, the party’s National Secretary Samuel Anyanwu, National Organising Secretary Umar Bature, the NWC, NEC, Acting National Chairman Umar Damagum, Ali Odefa, and Emmanuel Ogidi.
