Court refuses to stop Peoples Democratic Party convention

The Federal High Court in Abuja has refused to grant an interim injunction seeking to stop the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from holding its planned National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting and national convention scheduled for October and November 2025.

Penpushing reports that it would be recalled that some aggrieved members of the party had asked the court to restrain Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from monitoring or recognising any meeting or convention organised by the party without due notice and adherence to democratic procedures.

The plaintiffs, through their counsel, Joseph Daudu, alongside Ogwu Onoja, M.A. Ebute, Adedayo Adedeji, and Chima Chidi, also sought to stop the party’s leadership from convening the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting scheduled for October 15,2025, and the national convention planned for November 15-16, 2025 in Ibadan, Oyo State Capital.

Penpushing further reports that the judge, J.K. Omotosho, in a ruling delivered, however, declined to grant the interim orders filed by Austine Nwachukwu, chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) in Imo State; Amah Nnanna, Chairman of the party’s Abia State chapter, and Turnah George, Secretary of the party South-south zone.

The judge held that the defendants, which are Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and its principal officers, must first be served with the substantive motion on notice before any restraining order could be made.

“The Motion Ex parte for Interim Injunction is hereby refused. The Plaintiffs/Applicants are hereby ordered to serve the Defendants with the Motion on Notice for Interlocutory Injunction’, Omotosho said.

Penpushing also reports that the judge, equally cautioned all parties against taking any steps capable of rendering the substantive application before the court useless.

“All parties in this suit upon being served with this order and the Motion on Notice for Interlocutory Injunction must not take any step, decision or do any act that will make the outcome of the reliefs in the Motion on Notice for Interlocutory Injunction nugatory,” the judge added.

Penpushing reports that Omotosho added that any action taken to undermine the pending judicial process shall be nullified, emphasising that once a party has been served with court processes, it must refrain from acts that could frustrate the proceedings.

“Any step, decision or act taken to make the outcome of a judicial process such as the Motion on Notice for Interlocutory Injunction nugatory shall be deemed to be a nullity. It is trite law that upon being served with a court process, no party shall take any steps to make the outcome of such process nugatory,” Mr Omotosho said.

Penpushing further reports that the court subsequently adjourned the matter to October 14, 2025 for hearing of the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction, while the plaintiffs, believed to allies of Nyesom Nyesom, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister are seeking to compel the electoral body to perform its constitutional duty of monitoring and regulating the internal affairs of the party.

They alleged that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leadership plans to hold the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting and convention in violation of its constitution and democratic norms.

Penpushing also reports that, with the refusal of the interim injunction, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP’s) planned National Executive Council (NEC) and convention are, for now, not legally halted, though the parties have been warned to maintain the status quo pending the determination of the substantive motion.

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