The factional National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), led by the Acting National Chairman, Alhaji Abdulrahman Muhammed, has appealed the ex parte order of the Ibadan High Court, which gave the nod to the Umar Damagum faction to proceed with the proposed convention scheduled for Ibadan, Oyo State capital, on November 15 and 16.

On Tuesday, Justice Ladiran Akintola, who gave the order for the Damagum-led NWC, adjourned till November 10 when the motion would come up for hearing.

Mohammed suspended indefinitely the elective National Convention in obedience to the judgment of the Federal High Court in Abuja delivered by Justice James Omotosho, which halted the preparation for the convention because it violated the PDP constitution and the Electoral Act.

Following the ex parte order, the Damagum faction announced the continuation of the preparation for the convention.

The camp got the backing yesterday of the Board of Trustees (BoT), after its meeting in Abuja.

Muhammed made the appeal filed against the ex parte order known yesterday.

He said: “The national leadership of the PDP, under me as Acting National Chairman, Alhaji Abdulrahman Muhammed, in collaboration with our National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, hereby formally informs the Nigerian public that we have received the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the recent judgment of the Federal High Court, Abuja, delivered by Honourable Justice Omotosho in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/2120/2025.

“Furthermore, we are pleased to confirm that our esteemed National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade (SAN, has provided a thorough legal opinion on the implications of the judgment.

“In strict adherence to due process and our commitment to fairness, we have filed an appeal before the Court of Appeal to seek further judicial clarification and interpretation in the overall interest of our party, our members and Nigerian democracy.

“Consequently, having filed an appeal and in line with our responsibility to uphold the rule of law and the PDP, we hereby suspend and cancel the proposed Ibadan National Convention, pending the decision of the Court of Appeal. Any continuation with the proposed convention at this time would amount to a violation of the rule of law and shall not be condoned.”

Muhammed added: “The Independent National Electoral Commission was a party to the suit and is fully aware of the judgment of the Federal High Court. Nevertheless, we have deemed it necessary and responsible to formally communicate our position to the commission. Accordingly, we have notified INEC to suspend the National Convention in strict compliance with the directive contained in the judgment

“We are also aware of an ex parte order recently issued by a High Court in Oyo State. While we await the Certified True Copy of the said order, we reiterate that an ex parte order cannot override a subsisting judgment of the Federal High Court. We shall continue to act only in accordance with valid judicial authority and the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“As a responsible, law-abiding, and democratic institution, the PDP remains unwavering in its commitment to the rule of law, constitutional governance, and internal party democracy.

“Our actions will continue to be guided by legal advice, by respect for our members, and by our duty to protect the integrity of our party.”

Anyanwu, who paired with Muhammed at the press conference, said that although both the Federal High Court in Abuja and the State High Court in Oyo are equal, the Federal High Court has more power.

He said the Oyo State High Court order is just an ex parte order, which lasts only seven days, adding that before that ex parte order, the party had already filed an appeal at the Appeal Court.

Anyanwu said: “When a new motion is filed in a new court, that means everything will stay, pending the outcome of the appeal. So, we shall wait for the appeal”.

The BoT, which set up another reconciliation committee to resolve the protracted crisis, hailed the Ibadan court ruling and gave its backing to the Damagum-led NWC to proceed with the convention.

Also, the former Deputy National Chairman, Chief Bode George, told reporters in Lagos that the Abuja Federal High Court judgment halting preparations for the convention has aggravated the crisis.

He said Justice Omotosho’s ruling contradicted the earlier verdict of the Supreme Court that congresses and the National Convention are internal affairs of political parties.

But the factional Acting National Chairman told reporters in Abuja that going ahead with the convention would be a violation of the judgment of the Abuja Federal High Court.

Muhammed, who noted the ex parte order by the Ibadan High Court, said the ruling does not invalidate the Abuja court judgment since an exparte order cannot override a valid judgment.

Anyanwu complained that he was not invited to the Board of Trustees meeting, which held earlier in the day, despite being a member.

He said the BoT held “a one-sided meeting.”

Anyanwu added: “As we speak, we have invited the Board of Trustees to a meeting. Most of those people. Those you see today are not members of the Board of Trustees. Some of them were just newly recruited. And they have not been confirmed by the party. So, that is a meeting of friends and associates compared to the Board of Trustees.

“What makes a nuclear family is father, mother, and children. So, if you have founding fathers, we are the founding children. So, we are all members of PDP.

“I am a member of the Board of Trustees. I am a member of the NEC in my position as the National Secretary of this party. And I am the custodian of the secretariat of the PDP. As we speak, the certificate of PDP is with me. So, I don’t see any founding father who would do anything without me being present in that meeting. That meeting is a nullity.”

“You will recall that on the 1st of November, because of what happened on the 31st, where the former chairman, Illiya Damagu, took some members of the NWC to the Legacy House to pronounce the suspension of the national secretary, the national legal adviser, and the deputy national legal adviser.

“They did not come to Wadata House to do that, because we had the information that they intended to attack the secretariat. On the 1st of November, I wrote a letter to the IGP, the Nigerian Police, and the director of SSS, informing them of the information we got, that they wanted to attack the PDP. Based on that, they deployed security.

“As a matter of fact, PDP is a law-abiding party. We love peace. We want everyone to come together. That is what the acting chairman is doing now, reaching out to all leaders of the party. I am sure in the next few days, I am going to write a letter to BOT members, for us to really meet and discuss this issue.”

BoT sets up reconciliation panel
A seven-man reconciliation committee was set up by the BoT to resolve the crisis tearing apart the main opposition platform ahead of the proposed National Convention.

The committee was set up after an emergency meeting of the highest advisory organ held at the Bauchi State Governor’s Lodge in Asokoto, Abuja.

It is headed by Ambassador Hassan Adamu from the Northeast, while former Edo State Deputy Governor Mike Ogiadomhe will serve as secretary.

The committee is expected to submit its report on Tuesday, November 11, for further action, according to the communique issued at the end of the meeting.

The BoT appealed to the warring gladiators to jettison their personal interests and work for the survival of the party.

Signatories to the communiqué included BoT Chairman and former Senate President Aldophus Wabara, Chief Ugochukwu Okeke (Southeast), Senator Zaynab Kure (Northcentral), Prince Onyinlola Olagunsoye (Southwest) and Dr Lubna Mohammed Gusau (Northwest).

However, the BoT pledged its support for the Damagun-led NWC while dismissing the appointment of Acting National Chairman Muhammed as a ruse.

It was not the first time reconciliation committees were raised by the party to resolve the protracted crisis.

But the previous panels failed to restore peace to the platform.

BoT hails Ibadan court ruling
The BoT hailed the ruling of the Ibadan court, describing it as a victory for democracy.

The communique reads: “BoT reaffirms that the PDP remains a united, formidable and focused political party under the leadership of the Amb. Iliya Damagum-led National Working Committee (NWC).

“The BoT solidly stands with and commends the Ambassador Iliya Damagum-led National Working Committee (NWC), the PDP Governors Forum, the National Convention Organising Committee and other critical organs of the Party for their collective roles in stabilizing our party, especially as we progress towards the conduct of the Elective National Convention scheduled to hold on the 15th and 16th of November 2025 in Ibadan, Oyo State capital.

“The BoT welcomes the ruling of the Oyo State High Court, presided over by Justice A.L. Akintola, which affirmed the Constitutional right and liberty of our party to manage its internal affairs, including holding our 2025 Elective National Convention as scheduled. This landmark Ruling is a victory for democracy, the rule of law and political development in our country.

“The BoT, however, expresses worry over the recent developments within our ranks that have caused understandable concerns. The tensions, misunderstandings, and regrettable incidents that have played out in public, including the invasion of our National Secretariat, are not reflective of the ideals and character of the PDP.

“As the conscience of the party, the BoT cannot and will not take sides but remain focused on safeguarding the integrity of the PDP and ensuring dialogue over discord. The decision for reconciliation is not a sign of weakness but a demonstration of maturity and responsibility.

“Against this backdrop, the BoT sets up a high-powered committee to immediately reconcile all conflicting sides and restore unity of purpose in our party as we head to the Elective National Convention in Ibadan.”

George: Court order can’t cancel convention
George said no court judgment can halt preparations for the proposed National Convention.

He described the Federal High Court judgement delivered by Justice Omotosho as a recipe for anarchy.

George, a former Military Administrator of Ondo State, said the Supreme Court declared in a historic judgment that such an exercise is an internal affair of the political party.

He said the Abuja High Court judgment that the PDP flouted its own rules and constitution by not holding congresses in some states shows the jurist’s ignorance about the party’s procedure.

George told reporters in Lagos that Justice Omotosho clearly acted beyond his legal powers or authority, adding that he had interfered in the internal affairs of the main opposition party.

He said: “In a case between Mutfwang and Nentawe, the Supreme Court position on the matter, which was expected to be interpreted by the learned judge, is very clear.

“The apex court had ruled that no court has jurisdiction over matters relating to administration of political party and election of its officers and matters about a political party’s congress to elect officers at any level of its executive committees, the constitution of such executive committees, and matters related to the administration of the party, are its internal affairs and not within the jurisdiction of courts.”

George also said party leadership and membership are domestic affairs of political parties and non-justiciable, insisting that the issues cannot be entertained by a court.

He clarified that “only a primary election congress is open to litigation as a pre-election action by virtue of Section 84 of the Electoral Act 2022.”

George emphasised that “a congress to elect officers of any level of the executive committee of a political party has to do with the internal management of the political party.”

He stressed: “It is non-justiciable. Therefore, a court or tribunal has no jurisdiction to entertain any dispute arising therefrom. In this case, the preponderance of evidence adduced at the tribunal was that the 4th respondent complied with the order of the High Court of Plateau State by conducting a repeat congress on 25th September 2021.”

Source; The Nation News