PDP Reps accuse judges of aiding moves to truncate democracy, want NJC to intervene

By Christiana Ekpa

Members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Caucus in the House of Representatives on Monday called on the National Judicial Council (NJC) to caution judges against being used by desperate politicians to derail Nigeria’s democratic process.
In a statement issued on Monday and signed by the Leader of the PDP Caucus, Honourable Fred Agbedi, the lawmakers expressed deep concern over what they described as a growing trend of judicial interference in the internal affairs of political parties, a practice that, according to them, poses a grave threat to the country’s democratic stability.
The statement followed a ruling by a Federal High Court in Abuja which declined to grant an interim injunction seeking to stop the PDP from holding its scheduled meetings and national convention, but went ahead to make orders which negate the benefits of his ruling refusing the interim injunction.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2120/2025, was filed by some individuals who has consistently opposed the planned national convention of the PDP.
The plaintiffs, namely Austine Nwachukwu, PDP Chairman in Imo State; Amah Abraham Nnanna, Chairman of the Abia State Chapter; and Turnah George, the South-South Secretary of the party, had asked the court to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to prevent the PDP from holding any meetings, congresses, or conventions pending the determination of their substantive suit.
Although the presiding judge, Justice James Omotosho declined to grant the ex parte order, he then made pronouncements to the effect that any steps taken by the party during the pendency of the suit would be null and void, a pronouncement the lawmakers said could be interpreted as indirectly enabling those seeking to disrupt the party’s activities.