PDP Convention Chaos: 4 Governors Defy Court Order, Storm Ibadan
Four governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have arrived in Ibadan, Oyo State, even as a Federal High Court order has halted the party’s planned national convention scheduled for Saturday and Sunday.
The South-West Chairman of the party, Kamorudeen Ajisafe, confirmed to Saturday Punch on Friday that the governors of Bauchi, Bala Mohammed; Zamfara, Dauda Lawal; Adamawa, Ahmadu Fintiri; and Oyo, Seyi Makinde, were already in Ibadan ahead of the exercise.
The leadership presence comes amid deepening internal battles between factions loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and those aligned with the acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum.
In the build-up to the event, former Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido, approached the Federal High Court in Abuja, challenging his exclusion from purchasing the party’s national chairmanship nomination form.
Delivering judgment on Friday, Justice Peter Lifu ordered the immediate suspension of the convention.
He further restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission from “supervising, monitoring, or recognising” any convention conducted by the PDP without Lamido included as a contestant.
Justice Lifu ruled that evidence before the court proved Lamido was “denied the opportunity to obtain a nomination form to contest for the position of National Chairman, contrary to the PDP constitution and regulations.”
The judge stated that the PDP had a duty to adopt measures that ensure fair participation of all members in internal democratic processes.
Issuing a consequential order, Justice Lifu declared, “Before any convention is held, the PDP is to make nomination forms available to the plaintiff.”
The order, according to the court, is to allow Lamido to obtain the form, mobilise his supporters and run his campaign.
Conflicting Court Orders Deepen Confusion
However, a conflicting ruling from the Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan had earlier permitted the PDP to proceed with the convention.
Justice Ladiran Akintola, ruling on an ex parte application filed by an Oyo PDP member, Folahan Adelabi, had authorised the convention and directed INEC to attend and monitor the election of new national officers.
Reacting to Friday’s ruling, Ajisafe denied knowledge of Lifu’s new order.
He said, “We’re not aware of any fresh court ruling. This is almost 6 o’clock, and none of the party’s leaders is aware of the ruling you’re talking about.
“The convention will hold. Nothing will stop it because we are obeying the Ibadan High Court ruling that directed us to proceed with the convention.
“As I speak to you, we already have four governors from Bauchi, Zamfara, Adamawa and Oyo states on the ground. We are 98 per cent ready for the convention, and nothing will stop us.”