PDP crisis deepens as Wike-backed faction sues INEC, Police over Ibadan convention

A faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has filed a suit at the Federal High Court in Abuja seeking to stop the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising the party’s national convention held in Ibadan, Oyo State, on November 15 and 16.

In the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2501/2025, the plaintiffs the PDP (Wike-aligned faction), acting national chairman Mohammed Abdulrahman, and national secretary Samuel Anyanwu are asking the court to declare the convention and all decisions made at the event “null, void and of no effect”.

The suit comes after the Ibadan convention expelled several party chieftains, including Anyanwu, FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, former Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose, and eight others.

The plaintiffs are also seeking an order restraining security agencies and INEC from recognising the sixth to 25th defendants including Umar Damagum, Kabiru Turaki, new national chairman, and other prominent members as PDP officials.

In the originating summons, the plaintiffs argue that the Ibadan convention was conducted in flagrant disregard of three subsisting judgements of the federal high court.

They referred to the judgement delivered on October 31 in FHC/ABJ/CS/2120/2025: between Austine Nwachukwu v INEC & Ors; as well as the interim order of November 11 and judgement of November 14 in FHC/ABJ/CS/2299/2025 between Alhaji Sule Lamido v PDP & Ors.

They also cited on the judgement delivered on May 31, 2023, in FHC/ABJ/CS/139/2023: Nyesom Wike v PDP & Ors.

The plaintiffs submitted that the various decisions had nullified the 21-day notice issued for the national convention and had expressly restrained the party from conducting the exercise.

They allege that despite the court rulings, the fifth to 25th defendants “organised themselves and their cohorts” and convened a gathering in Ibadan where they purportedly elected national officers and announced the suspension or expulsion of some prominent party members.

‘AN ATTEMPT TO FORCEFULLY TAKE OVER PDP SECRETARIAT’

In an affidavit deposed to by Anyanwu, the PDP national secretary said the group made an attempt on November 18 to “forcibly take control” of the party’s national secretariat at Wadata Plaza and Legacy House in Abuja but was unsuccessful.

He added that instead of enforcing the subsisting court orders, the police and Department of State Services (DSS) “sealed up” the secretariat and denied the legitimate officers of the party access to the buildings.

“The 2nd to 4th defendants have now sealed up the premises of the 1st plaintiff and denied the 2nd and 3rd plaintiffs access to their offices,” the affidavit reads.

WHAT THE PLAINTIFFS WANT

The plaintiffs are asking the court to declare that INEC, the inspector-general of police, the FCT commissioner of police, and the DSS are constitutionally bound to enforce the earlier judgements and give full effect to their provisions.

They also want an order restraining the defendants from recognising or giving effect to the Ibadan convention or any decisions made there, as well as an order preventing the sixth to 25th defendants from parading themselves as officials of the PDP.

In addition, the plaintiffs want the court to direct the security agencies to provide adequate protection for them and to grant them access to Wadata Plaza and Legacy House for the purpose of conducting the affairs of the party.

They further ask the court to restrain INEC from accepting any change of address for the PDP other than the two existing official locations in Abuja.

They are also seeking the court’s determination on whether any authority or institution can lawfully recognise the Ibadan convention in view of the subsisting judgements and the provisions of the constitution, the Electoral Act, and the PDP constitution.

The suit is yet to be assigned to a judge, and no date has been fixed for the hearing.

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