Court halts PDP National Convention in Ibadan

The Federal High Court in Abuja has stopped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from holding its planned national convention in Ibadan, Oyo State, scheduled for November 15–16.

Delivering judgment, Justice James Omotosho upheld a suit filed by three aggrieved PDP members: Hon. Austin Nwachukwu (Imo PDP Chairman), Hon. Amah Abraham Nnanna (Abia PDP Chairman), and Turnah Alabh George (PDP Secretary, South-South).

The court found that the party failed to comply with the 1999 Constitution, guidelines of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and its own constitution, particularly by not conducting valid state congresses prior to the convention.

Justice Omotosho directed the PDP to rectify these irregularities and issue the statutory 21-day notice before attempting the convention again.

The defendants in the case included INEC, PDP, and several national officers of the party, among them Senator Samuel Anyanwu (National Secretary) and Umar Baturrle (National Organising Secretary). Preliminary objections by the defendants challenging the court’s jurisdiction were dismissed.