By Chidimma Okwara,
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is facing a significant internal crisis after the Federal High Court in Abuja delivered a judgment that has barred the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognizing the outcome of its planned national convention scheduled to hold in Ibadan, Oyo state on November 15 and 16. The convention was intended to elect new national officers to lead the party for the next four years.
The ruling, handed down by Justice Kolawole Omotosho, was the result of a suit filed by aggrieved members of the party who alleged that the PDP had violated its own rules by failing to conduct valid congresses in several states before announcing the convention dates.
READ ALSO
In a swift and furious response, the PDP immediately rejected the court’s decision, labeling the ruling as an “assault on Nigeria’s democratic process.”
In a statement issued by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, the PDP argued that the court’s judgment was an overreach that interfered with the party’s internal affairs, which should be protected by the Nigerian Constitution and recent Supreme Court precedents.
“The PDP maintains that the court’s decision does not invalidate or hinder its ongoing preparations for the forthcoming National Convention,” the statement declared.
The party also reaffirmed its stance on the supremacy of political parties in managing their internal matters, citing a recent Supreme Court judgment that supports this position. The leadership charged all party members to remain focused on the preparations for a successful convention despite the judicial impediment.
The Legal and Political Implications
The primary implication of the judgment is the directive to the electoral umpire, INEC, which has been legally barred from recognizing any new set of national officers that may emerge from the convention. This effectively throws the PDP’s leadership structure and internal transition plans into confusion.
For the aggrieved members, the court ruling is a victory for internal democracy and transparency, ensuring that the party adheres strictly to its own constitutional guidelines regarding the election of delegates from the grassroots level.
Conversely, the PDP leadership views the court’s intervention as a dangerous precedent that could lead to judicial disruption of the lawful activities of political organizations. To combat this, the party has announced that it has directed its legal team to immediately appeal the judgment to set it aside.
The outcome of this legal battle will have far-reaching implications, not only for the PDP’s immediate future but for the overall relationship between the judiciary and political parties in Nigeria’s democratic landscape.
