National Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party has suspended the National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade (SAN); National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu; Deputy Legal Adviser, Okechukwu Osuoha; and National Organising Secretary, Umaru Bature, for one month following a court ruling that halted the party’s planned national convention.
Disclosing this while addressing journalists, the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, said the decision followed an emergency NWC meeting held on Saturday at the party’s office, Legacy House, Maitama, Abuja.
Ologunagba stated that in line with Section 36(2) of the PDP Constitution, the Deputy National Secretary, Setonji Koshoedo, will assume the role of acting National Secretary, while the National Director of Legal Services, Jacob Otorkpa, has been assigned to manage the affairs of the Legal Department.
It would be recalled that despite the plan to hold its National Elective Convention in Ibadan, Oyo State, on November 15 and 16, the Peoples Democratic Party remains engulfed in internal tension.
Supporters of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, continue to express dissatisfaction with the leadership of the acting National Chairman, Ambassador Umar Iliya Dama.
There are also deep disagreements over the micro-zoning formula ahead of the convention, further widening the rift within the party.
These lingering issues eventually escalated into a legal showdown aimed at stopping the convention from taking place.
On Friday, the Federal High Court in Abuja issued an interim order restraining the PDP from proceeding with its planned convention in Ibadan until further notice.
Presiding over the case marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2120/2025, Justice James Omotosho ruled that the convention must be suspended until the party aligns its actions with the provisions of its constitution, the 1999 Constitution, and the Electoral Act 2022.
The case was instituted by three aggrieved members of the PDP, Austin Nwachukwu, the Imo State PDP Chairman; Amah Abraham Nnanna, the Abia State PDP Chairman; and Turnah Alabh George, the PDP Secretary for the South-South zone.
They petitioned the court to halt the convention, arguing that it contravened both the Electoral Act and the party’s internal rules.
According to them, the PDP failed to conduct valid congresses in 14 states before issuing the notice for the convention.
In his final judgment, Justice Omotosho found merit in their claims.
He held that the PDP violated its own constitution, the 1999 Constitution, and INEC’s guidelines by failing to conduct proper state congresses and by neglecting to issue the required 21-day notice to INEC.
Consequently, he ordered that the planned convention be stopped until the party rectifies all internal irregularities in line with the law.
