A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has once again stopped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from holding its planned national convention, which was scheduled to take place in Ibadan, Oyo State, between November 15 and 16, 2025.
The court also ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not to supervise, monitor, or recognise any outcome from the proposed gathering, where the party had planned to elect new national officers.
Justice Peter Lifu issued the restraining order on Tuesday while ruling on an application filed by former Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido, who challenged his exclusion from the convention.
Lamido had told the court that he was unjustly denied the opportunity to purchase the nomination form for the national chairmanship position, describing it as a violation of his right to fair participation in party affairs.
Justice Lifu, in his ruling, stated that the PDP failed to comply with the legal guidelines governing the conduct of such conventions, noting that the party did not publish the timetable for the exercise as required by law.
According to him, the evidence presented before the court indicated a clear breach of due process, making the restraining order necessary to protect the integrity of internal democratic processes within the party.
Okay News reports that the judge further held that the “balance of convenience” favoured Lamido, as he would suffer greater harm if unlawfully excluded from the exercise.
“In a constitutional democracy, due process of law must be strictly observed by those in authority. To act otherwise is to endanger the very foundation of democracy itself,” Justice Lifu said.
He added that under Section 6 of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution, the courts must always uphold their duty to deliver justice without fear or favour, warning that failure to do so could breed anarchy.
Consequently, the court restrained the PDP from holding the planned convention in Ibadan or elsewhere on November 15 and 16, or on any other date, until it complies with statutory and constitutional provisions.
The ruling also barred INEC from recognising or supervising any outcome of such a convention should the PDP proceed in defiance of the order.
In October 2025, the same Federal High Court had issued a similar injunction, stopping the PDP from conducting its national convention until it complied with its constitution, the Nigerian Constitution, and the Electoral Act.
The earlier suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2120/2025, was filed by three aggrieved members — Austin Nwachukwu, the Imo PDP Chairman; Amah Abraham Nnanna, the Abia PDP Chairman; and Turnah Alabh George, the PDP Secretary for South-South. They had argued that the planned convention violated internal party procedures and national laws.
However, on November 4, the Oyo State High Court granted the PDP interim permission to continue its preparations, following an ex-parte motion filed by a party member, Folahan Adelabi. That ruling was later adjourned for a substantive hearing.
The new Abuja judgment now places further uncertainty on the PDP’s convention plans as the party continues to face multiple legal battles across different states.
