Court of Appeal Affirms Ruling Nullifying PDP 2025 National Convention

The Court of Appeal in Abuja has upheld the judgment of the Federal High Court which restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising the outcome of the 2025 National Convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The convention was held between November 15 and 16, 2025, in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

Delivering judgment on the appeal, Justice Uchechukwu Onyemenam ruled that the PDP failed to comply with constitutional and statutory provisions required for the conduct of a valid national convention.

According to the court, the party did not serve a valid notice of the convention on INEC as required by law. The appellate court also found that valid congresses were not conducted in more than 14 states before the convention was organised, a requirement stipulated by the Electoral Act and the party’s guidelines.

Justice Onyemenam further held that the case brought by the aggrieved PDP members was not merely an internal party affair, as previously argued, but a matter aimed at compelling INEC to carry out its statutory responsibilities concerning political party conventions.

The court therefore concluded that the Federal High Court was right to assume jurisdiction and issue an order restraining INEC from accepting or recognising the outcome of the convention.

“Compliance with the 1999 Constitution, the Electoral Act 2022, and party constitutions and guidelines are fundamental to democratic governance and must be strictly enforced in the interest of democracy,” Justice Onyemenam stated.

Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court had earlier, on October 31, 2025, restrained INEC from recognising the outcome of the planned convention in Ibadan until all legal requirements were met.

In his ruling, Justice Omotosho held that evidence presented by INEC and some aggrieved PDP members showed that congresses were not conducted in certain states, contrary to legal provisions. He also ruled that notices and official correspondences issued by the party’s National Chairman without the signature of the National Secretary violated the law and were therefore invalid.

The court further held that the PDP failed to give INEC the mandatory 21-day notice required for meetings and congresses, which would have allowed the electoral body to monitor the processes.

Justice Omotosho noted that the party’s failure to comply with the relevant laws had already jeopardised the planned convention and advised the PDP to address the legal lapses before proceeding with the election of new national officers.

The suit was filed by three PDP members — Austin Nwachukwu, Imo State PDP chairman; Amah Abraham Nnanna, Abia State PDP chairman; and Turnah Alabh George, the party’s South-South secretary. The case, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2120/2025, was instituted on their behalf by Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Joseph Daudu.

The defendants in the suit include INEC, the PDP, the party’s National Secretary Samuel Anyanwu, National Organising Secretary Umar Bature, members of the National Working Committee (NWC) and National Executive Committee (NEC), as well as acting National Chairman Ambassador Umar Iliya Damagum, Ali Odefa and Emmanuel Ogidi.