Court Halts PDP National Convention Over Alleged Irregularities

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has stopped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from proceeding with its planned national convention, scheduled to hold in Ibadan, Oyo State, on November 15 and 16, 2025.

The convention was expected to produce new national officers for the opposition party, but the court on Friday ordered that the exercise be suspended pending the resolution of a suit challenging the legality of its preparations.

Delivering judgment, Justice James Omotosho ruled that the party had breached its internal rules and the statutory requirements governing the conduct of such conventions.

“The PDP is hereby restrained from proceeding with its planned convention until it complies with the relevant constitutional and legal provisions,” the judge held.

The ruling followed a suit filed by three party members, Austin Nwachukwu (Imo PDP Chairman), Amah Nnanna (Abia PDP Chairman), and Turnah George (South-South PDP Secretary), who accused the party leadership of violating its constitution in the build-up to the convention.

The plaintiffs, through their counsel, alleged that the processes leading to the convention were marred by irregularities, including the failure to conduct congresses in 14 states.

They argued that such lapses amounted to a breach of the PDP Constitution, the 1999 Constitution, and the Electoral Act, rendering any convention held under the current circumstances illegal.

“No congress was conducted in 14 states. The issue before this court is whether the defendants have violated the law. This cannot be dismissed as an internal party affair,” their lawyer told the court.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the PDP National Working Committee (NWC) were joined as defendants in the suit.

The plaintiffs asked the court to restrain both the party and INEC from recognising or participating in any convention that did not comply with the PDP’s internal democratic procedures.

They maintained that the party leadership ignored due process in its rush to conduct the convention, thereby undermining transparency and internal democracy within the PDP.

In his ruling, Justice Omotosho agreed with the plaintiffs that the party’s preparations fell short of required standards.

He ordered the PDP to “put its house in order” before rescheduling the convention, stressing that the party must issue the statutory 21-day notice as required by law before convening a national convention.

“The court finds merit in the argument that the party has failed to comply with procedural and constitutional requirements. It is hereby ordered to rectify these lapses before taking further steps,” the judge said.

The ruling represents another major setback for the opposition party, which has faced internal crises and factional disputes since the last general elections.

Analysts say the injunction could delay the emergence of new national officers and deepen tensions within the PDP ahead of its 2027 political plans.

Party insiders, however, revealed that efforts were already underway to appeal the decision and to reconcile warring factions before the end of the year.

“The party leadership is studying the judgment and will take appropriate steps to ensure that the issue is resolved lawfully,” a PDP official who declined to be named told The PUNCH on Friday night.