By Ikechukwu Nnochiri
ABUJA–The Federal High Court in Abuja, on Tuesday, issued an order, stopping the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, from going ahead with its planned National Convention.
The court, in the ruling that was delivered by Justice Peter Lifu, barred the party from proceeding with the convention that was billed to hold in Ibadan, Oyo state, on November 15 and 16.
The restraining order followed a suit that was lodged before the court by a former Governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido.
More so, the court barred the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, from supervising, monitoring or recognizing the outcome of the scheduled convention where PDP intended to elect its national officers.
Lamido, who is a foundation member of the PDP, approached the court after he was denied the opportunity to purchase a nomination form to contest for the position of National Chairman of the party.
The plaintiff alleged that the party arbitrarily denied him the right to participate at the planned national convention.
In the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/2299/2025, he prayed the court to halt the convention and prevent INEC from supervising it.
He cited the PDP and INEC as 1st and 2nd defendants, respectively.
Delivering his ruling on Tuesday, the court said it was satisfied that the party refused, neglected, and failed to comply with condition percedents and laws that would enable the conduct of such convention.
According to Justice Lifu, evidence the plaintiff adduce before the court established that the timetable for the convention was not published for the attention of members of the party, as required by law.
He held that the balance of convenience tilted towards Lamido since he would suffer more if allowed to be unlawfully excluded from the planned convention.
The court implored the party to follow the due process of the law as doing otherwise would endanger democracy itself.
Justice Lifu held that in line with the provision of section 6 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, a court of law must not abdicate its role of dispensing justice without fear or favour.
Consequently, it restrained the PDP from going ahead with its scheduled national convention.
The fresh ruling came barely two weeks after the same court also gave a judgement that stopped the convention.
It will be recalled that Justice James Omotosho of the court had on October 31, not only aborted the planned convention, but also barred INEC from recognising the outcome.
The judgement was based on a suit that was brought before the court by three aggrieved chieftains of the party.
However, in a twist of events, another high court in Oyo State, on November 3, gave the PDP the nod to go ahead with the national convention.
In the ruling that was delivered by Justice Ladiran Akintola, the court, aside from a the positive order it granted the PDP, equally directed the INEC to attend and monitor the convention.
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