Delivering judgment, Justice James Omotosho upheld a suit filed by three aggrieved members of the party — Hon. Austin Nwachukwu (Imo PDP Chairman), Hon. Amah Abraham Nnanna (Abia PDP Chairman), and Turnah Alabh George (PDP Secretary, South-South).
The court ruled that evidence presented showed that the PDP failed to comply with the 1999 Constitution (as amended), guidelines of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and the party’s own constitution.
According to the judgment, the PDP did not conduct valid state congresses before moving to hold the national convention to elect new national officers.
Consequently, Justice Omotosho directed the PDP to reorganize its internal structures and issue the statutory 21-day notice before proceeding with the proposed convention.
The plaintiffs had asked the court to restrain the PDP from conducting the convention, listing INEC, the PDP, National Secretary Senator Samuel Anyanwu, National Organising Secretary Umar Bature, national officers Ali Odefa and Emmanuel Ogidi, and both the NWC and NEC of the party as defendants.
The court also dismissed preliminary objections raised by the defendants, who argued that the matter was an internal party issue.
More details to follow…
