By Abiola Olawale
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has immediately summoned an emergency meeting of its National Working Committee (NWC) following a Federal High Court ruling that halted its planned national convention.
The session, set to take place on Saturday at the party’s national secretariat in Wadata Plaza, Abuja, is said to be aimed at strategizing the party’s next line of action.
The emergency deliberation follows the Friday judgment by Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, who restrained the opposition party from holding its National Convention, originally slated for November 15 and 16 in Ibadan, Oyo State.
A member of the NWC, who spoke to Saturday on condition of anonymity said: “That’s the judgment. However, I know that the NWC has summoned an emergency meeting tomorrow. The leaders will review what transpired throughout the process and determine the next line of action.
“The party is set for a solemn deliberation, which will shape its next steps and provide members and Nigerians a clearer sense of direction in the coming days.”
The New Diplomat reports that the development Justice Omotosho, while delivering judgment in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2120/2025, held that the PDP failed to conduct valid state congresses in several states and also breached the law by failing to issue the mandatory 21-day notice to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) before convening the convention.
Omotosho ruled: “The failure of the PDP to comply with the law has put the planned convention in jeopardy. The party must do the needful before going ahead with the election.
“INEC is not entitled to give effect to the outcome of any political party convention that does not comply with the provisions of the Constitution, the Electoral Act, and relevant party guidelines.”
The suit was filed by three aggrieved PDP members — Austin Nwachukwu (Imo PDP Chairman), Amah Nnanna (Abia PDP Chairman), and Turnah George (South-South Zonal Secretary).
The nine defendants in the suit include INEC, the PDP, National Secretary Samuel Anyanwu, National Organising Secretary Umar Bature, the NWC, the NEC, Acting National Chairman Ambassador Umar Damagum, Ali Odefa, and Emmanuel Ogidi.
Reacting to the judgment, the PDP National Chairman, Umar Damagum, condemned the ruling as a setback for democracy, vowing that the party would appeal immediately.
“This is not what we expected. We will appeal it. You cannot stop a whole political party from exercising its legal rights. This judgment today is a panacea to annihilating democracy in this country,” he said.
Also, in a statement issued on Friday, the PDP National Publicity Secretary Debo Ologunagba described the judgment as an assault on Nigeria’s democratic process.
“The judgment does not vitiate our ability to proceed with the processes and activities towards electing new national officers. Our lawyers have been directed to appeal immediately,” Ologunagba stated.
