The Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed October 31 to deliver judgment in a case challenging the legality of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s planned national convention, which some party members claim violates its internal rules and national laws.
Justice James Omotosho announced the date after hearing arguments from lawyers representing both sides.
He also restated his earlier order for all parties to maintain the status quo pending the court’s decision, warning that any action taken in defiance of that order would be nullified.
During Tuesday’s, October 21, hearing, counsel to the plaintiffs, Joseph Daudu (SAN), argued that the matter went beyond internal party issues.
He said the plaintiffs were seeking to ensure that the PDP followed the 1999 Constitution, the Electoral Act 2022, and its own constitution in organising the convention.
Daudu added that under the law, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) must supervise political party congresses before they can be considered valid.
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He claimed that the PDP’s National Working Committee (NWC) and National Executive Committee (NEC) failed to conduct valid congresses in 14 states before announcing the convention scheduled for November 15 and 16.
However, counsel to the PDP’s acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, Paul Erokoro (SAN), urged the court to dismiss the suit, insisting that the issue was an internal party affair.
Supporting this view, Eyitayo Jegede (SAN), who represented the PDP’s NWC and NEC, argued that the court lacked jurisdiction to interfere in the internal matters of a political organisation.
The case was filed by three party members, Austin Nwachukwu, the Imo PDP Chairman; Amah Abraham Nnanna, the Abia PDP Chairman; and Turnah George, the PDP Secretary for the South-South region.
They are asking the court to stop the planned Ibadan convention where new national officers are expected to emerge.
Those listed as defendants include INEC, the PDP, Samuel Anyanwu, Umar Bature, the NWC, the NEC, Umar Damagum, Ali Odefa, and Emmanuel Ogidi.