The Federal High Court in Abuja has once again stopped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from conducting its planned National Convention scheduled for November 15 and 16 in Ibadan, Oyo State.
Justice Peter Lifu, in a ruling delivered on Tuesday, also restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from supervising, monitoring, or recognising any outcome from the proposed convention, where new national officers were expected to emerge.
The fresh order followed an application filed by former Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido, who alleged that the party denied him the opportunity to purchase the chairmanship nomination form ahead of the convention.
Justice Lifu held that the PDP failed to comply with necessary legal and procedural requirements for convening such a national gathering, noting that evidence before the court showed that the timetable for the exercise was not properly published as required by law.
“The balance of convenience tilts in favour of the applicant,” the judge ruled, adding that Lamido would suffer greater harm if unlawfully excluded from participating in the convention.
Emphasising the importance of due process, Justice Lifu stated that “those in charge of political organisations must strictly follow the law; to do otherwise would endanger democracy itself.”
He further warned that the courts must never abdicate their constitutional duty to uphold justice, stressing that “anarchy would be the order of the day wherever a court of record fails to perform its assigned functions.”
Consequently, the court restrained the PDP from proceeding with the convention in Ibadan or at any other location and barred INEC from recognising, supervising, or monitoring any such event if conducted.
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