The Federal High Court in Abuja has issued a final order stopping the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) from going ahead with its 2025 National Convention scheduled to take place in Ibadan, Oyo State. The order, delivered on Friday by Justice Peter Odo Lifu, marks the party’s second major legal setback ahead of the planned convention, which was expected to be held between November 15 and 16 for the purpose of electing new national officers.
The decision followed a suit filed by former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido, who accused the party of denying him the right to purchase a nomination form to contest for the position of National Chairman. Lamido, a founding member of the PDP and one of its longest-serving leaders, argued that the party violated its own constitution and internal guidelines by blocking him and other aspirants from obtaining forms.
Justice Lifu agreed with Lamido’s argument and ruled that the PDP must not proceed with the Ibadan convention until Lamido is allowed to purchase a nomination form and campaign freely, as provided for in the party’s constitution. He also prohibited the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from supervising or recognizing the event until the party complies with all legal requirements.
In his final judgment, Justice Lifu stated clearly that political parties must strictly follow their internal rules, especially when choosing officers who will lead the organization. He said it was “wrong and unacceptable” for the PDP to deny Lamido access to the nomination form when he is a qualified member of the party.
According to the judge, denying some members the opportunity to participate amounted to a breach of the PDP’s constitution and guidelines. He criticized the leadership of the party for what he described as a failure to respect due process and fairness.
“Political parties must give equal opportunities to all eligible members,” he warned, noting that Lamido’s exclusion could not be justified under any known party rule.
The judge further held that the PDP had repeatedly breached its own regulations by not conducting mandatory congresses in some states and by failing to issue the required notices for meetings and internal elections. Such actions, he said, were capable of undermining confidence in the party’s internal democratic processes.
The latest ruling came just two weeks after another Abuja Federal High Court judge, Justice James Omotosho, issued a similar order restricting INEC from recognizing the outcome of the planned convention. Justice Omotosho made the decision while ruling on a separate suit filed by three aggrieved PDP members.
The plaintiffs—Austin Nwachukwu (Imo PDP Chairman), Amah Abraham Nnanna (Abia PDP Chairman), and Turnah Alabh George (PDP Secretary, South-South)—argued that the PDP failed to meet the legal conditions required for organizing national conventions. Their case, filed through Senior Advocate of Nigeria Joseph Daudu, cited several irregularities, including the absence of congresses in some states and improper signing of official documents.
Justice Omotosho ruled that congresses were not held in certain states as required by law. He also held that notices and official party correspondence signed by the PDP National Chairman without the National Secretary were null and void. Under the Electoral Act, both officers must jointly sign official documents for them to be valid.
Additionally, the court found that the PDP failed to issue the mandatory 21-day notice to INEC ahead of internal meetings and congresses. Without such notice, INEC cannot fulfill its statutory duty of monitoring party activities to ensure compliance with the law.
Justice Omotosho concluded that the party’s failure to follow proper procedures placed the entire convention in jeopardy. He advised the PDP to correct the shortcomings before attempting to hold a national convention.
On November 11, Justice Lifu had issued an interim order restraining the PDP from holding the Ibadan convention, pending the determination of Lamido’s main suit. At that time, the judge ruled that Lamido had raised strong legal issues that required proper consideration by the court.
Lamido had argued that the party did not publish a timetable for the convention and failed to make relevant information available to members. He also claimed that the party deliberately excluded opponents of the current leadership from accessing nomination forms.
Justice Lifu said the balance of convenience favoured Lamido, as he would suffer irreparable harm if the convention was held without giving him an opportunity to contest. The judge added that Lamido had agreed to pay damages if his case was later found to be frivolous—a commitment the court said was evidence of good faith.
In his final order on Friday, Justice Lifu emphasized that due process is a core requirement in any constitutional democracy. He said courts must ensure that political parties do not abuse their powers or undermine members’ rights.
According to him, “anarchy would prevail” if the courts failed to intervene when political parties violate their own rules. He cited Section 6 of the 1999 Constitution, which empowers courts to adjudicate disputes and uphold justice without fear or favour.
He warned that political parties must be reminded that internal democracy is not optional. Without transparency and fairness, he said, parties become weaker and lose public trust.
The court orders have thrown the PDP into further uncertainty at a time when the party is trying to rebuild after losing the 2023 presidential election. Since then, the opposition party has been battling internal divisions, leadership disputes, and defections.
With the convention now stopped indefinitely, the party’s timetable for electing new national officers has been disrupted. It remains unclear how soon the PDP can resolve the legal issues and return to its planned schedule.
For the PDP, the immediate challenge will be reconciling warring factions, complying with legal requirements, and setting a new date for its convention. For Lamido, the ruling represents a victory in his bid to contest for the position of National Chairman.
