, to which Seyi Makinde belongs, has suffered another setback as the Court of Appeal in Abuja){kind=link}
For the second time in one day, a faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), to which Seyi Makinde belongs, has suffered another setback as the Court of Appeal in Abuja nullified the party’s National Convention held in November last year.
The appellate court ruled that the party acted wrongly by proceeding with the convention despite an existing order directing it not to go ahead until certain conditions set by the Federal High Court were met.
Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja had, on November 14, 2025, directed the PDP not to conduct the convention until a Chairmanship nomination form was made available to a Chairmanship aspirant and former governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido.
Delivering judgment on Monday in an appeal filed by Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, Justice Uchechukwu Onyemenam held that the PDP acted improperly by going ahead with the convention while a subsisting court order was still in place.
The Court of Appeal further stated that the PDP made a “somersault” when, instead of challenging the Federal High Court decision through an appeal, it approached another court of coordinate jurisdiction where it secured a favourable ruling that it complied with.
Justice Uchechukwu Onyemenam noted that denying a person the opportunity to exercise legally recognised rights cannot be dismissed under the claim of internal party affairs, stressing that such matters are not beyond judicial scrutiny.
“Where a party deliberately breaches the 1999 Constitution, Electoral Act 2022 and it’s own Constitution and Guidelines, it has gone beyond any internal affairs that courts cannot adjudicate upon. The court must, by law, intervene and resolve the matter in line with the position of the law ”
Justice Uchechukwu Onyemenam also criticised the Turaki faction for allegedly disregarding a lawful court order and resorting to self-help by seeking a favourable judgment from another court of coordinate jurisdiction.
According to the court, such conduct amounted to a direct challenge to the authority of the judiciary and should not be tolerated under any circumstances, noting that selectively obeying court judgments cannot benefit the party.
“No court will fold its hand while its authorities are being rubbished. The action of the appellant is condemnable as it is contemptuous.
While dismissing the appeal filed by the Turaki faction, Justice Uchechukwu Onyemenam also ordered the PDP to pay N2 million in costs.
Earlier, the Federal High Court had barred the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from supervising, monitoring, or recognising the outcome of the National Convention where national officers of the party were expected to be elected.
Justice Peter Odo Lifu issued the directive while ruling on an application filed by former Jigawa State governor, Sule Lamido.
Lamido, a founding member of the PDP, had taken the party to court, alleging that he was denied the opportunity to purchase the Chairmanship nomination form that would allow him to contest in the convention.
The judge based the restraining order on the argument that the party failed to comply with the relevant legal requirements and conditions necessary for conducting such a convention.
According to the court, evidence presented by Lamido indicated that the timetable for the convention was not properly published for party members as required by law.
Justice Lifu further held that the balance of convenience favoured Lamido, noting that he would suffer greater harm if he were unlawfully excluded from participating in the planned convention.
According to the Judge, in a Constitutional, due process of law must be strictly followed by those in charge, adding that to do otherwise, will endanger democracy itself.
He also said that in line with section 6 of the 1999 Constitution, a court of law must not abdicate its role of dispensing justice without fear or favour.
Justice Lifu had warned that anarchy could prevail whenever courts fail to carry out their constitutionally assigned responsibilities.
In his final ruling, the judge restrained the PDP from proceeding with the convention scheduled for November 15 and 16 in Ibadan or any other location.
He also prohibited INEC from supervising, monitoring, or recognising the outcome of any convention organised by the PDP.