POLITICAL Economy

BREAKING: Appeal Court upholds judgment stopping 2025 PDP National convention

by admin on | 2026-03-10 10:34:29

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BREAKING: Appeal Court Upholds Judgment Stopping Recognition of 2025 PDP National Convention

By Abdullahi Muhammad
Abuja

The Court of Appeal in Abuja has upheld the judgment of the Federal High Court in Abuja which, on October 31, 2025, restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising the outcome of the 2025 National Convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The national convention was conducted between November 15 and 16 in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

Delivering judgment in an appeal against the Federal High Court decision, Justice Uchechukwu Onyemenam held that the PDP violated constitutional provisions required before such a convention could become valid.

Among other findings, Justice Onyemenam held that no valid notice of the convention was served on the Independent National Electoral Commission as required by law.

The appellate court also held that valid congresses were not conducted in more than 14 states of the federation as required by law before the 2025 convention was held.

Justice Onyemenam further ruled that the case filed by aggrieved members of the PDP was not merely an internal affair of the party, as earlier argued, but a legitimate effort to compel INEC to comply with its statutory duties regarding party conventions.

Having failed to comply with the relevant laws, the Court of Appeal held that the Federal High Court was right to assume jurisdiction and grant an order restraining INEC from accepting or recognising the outcome of the PDP’s 2025 national convention.

According to the court, “Non-compliance with the 1999 Constitution, the Electoral Act 2022, and the party’s constitution and guidelines goes to the heart of democratic governance, and compliance must be strictly enforced in the interest of democracy.”

Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court had on October 31, 2025, issued an order restraining INEC from recognising the outcome of the Ibadan convention until all legal provisions were complied with.

The judge based his decision on the grounds that the PDP failed to comply with relevant conditions and legal requirements for the conduct of such conventions.

He held that evidence presented by the electoral umpire and some aggrieved PDP members showed that congresses were not conducted in some states of the federation, contrary to the provisions of the law.

In addition, the lower court ruled that the signing of notices and correspondences of the PDP by its National Chairman without the National Secretary violated the law, thereby rendering such notices and correspondences invalid.

Justice Omotosho also held that the PDP failed to issue the mandatory 21-day notice of meetings and congresses to enable INEC carry out its statutory duty of monitoring the exercise.

He ruled that the failure of the PDP to comply with the law placed the planned convention in jeopardy and advised the party to comply with the necessary legal requirements before proceeding.

The judge consequently restrained INEC from receiving, publishing, or recognising the outcome of the convention held in Ibadan until the party complied with the law.

The suit was instituted by three aggrieved members of the party: Austin Nwachukwu (Imo PDP Chairman), Amah Abraham Nnanna (Abia PDP Chairman), and Turnah Alabh George (PDP Secretary, South-South).

The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2120/2025, was filed on their behalf by Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Joseph Daudu.

The plaintiffs had asked the court to stop the planned November 15–16, 2025 PDP National Convention scheduled for Ibadan, where new national officers were expected to be elected.

The nine defendants in the suit are the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the PDP, Samuel Anyanwu (National Secretary of the party), Umar Bature (National Organising Secretary), the National Working Committee (NWC), the National Executive Committee (NEC), Ambassador Umar Iliya Damagum, Ali Odefa, and Emmanuel Ogidi