National Convention: I feel sad suing PDP

The former Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido, on Tuesday said he felt sad suing the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the Federal High Court in Abuja over his exclusion from the party’s 2025 national convention.

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He said that although a restraining order had been issued preventing the PDP from proceeding with the planned convention in Ibadan, he felt bad about being forced to take court action.

PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported that the Federal High Court in Abuja restrained the PDP from holding its national convention scheduled for 15 and 16 November pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit filed by Mr Lamido.

The Judge, Peter Lifu, also restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from monitoring, supervising, or recognising the convention.

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The judge held that the former governor’s application was meritorious and succeeded.

Speaking with journalists shortly after the ruling, Mr Lamido, who served two terms as Jigawa governor from 2007 to 2015 under the PDP, recalled his long relationship with the party, which culminated in his election as governor and his appointment as foreign affairs minister.

“In this case, if my party lost, I also lose. I feel like crying, taking this path. When we fight as brothers, the trust is lost, the bond of brotherhood is also lost,” he lamented.

The ex-governor said he opted for court action to seek justice after being denied the opportunity to purchase the PDP national chairmanship nomination form, despite being a bona fide member of PDP

Mr Lamido, a member of the G-34 that metamorphosed into the PDP in 1998, went to the party secretariat on 27 Ocober to collect the form to contest for the position of national chairman, but was not attended to as relevant officials were not available to sell the form.

Feeling unhappy, he told journalists that he would sue the party for denying him the form.

A few days earlier, some PDP leaders in the North where Mr Lamido hails from had endorsed a former special duties minister, Kabiru Turaki (SAN) from Kebbi State, as their consensus candidate for the position of national chairman.

However, the former Jigawa governor said he was not aware.

There were speculations that Mr Lamido, who served as foreign affairs minister in the PDP administration of Olusegun Obasanjo, was not allowed to purchase the form because of his alleged support for the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

“Yes, I support the coming together of the opposition under the ADC, but let it be known I will never leave the PDP. I built this house with my sweat and soul. My role now is to offer guidance and ensure Nigeria finds her way back,” he said a few months ago.

The suit

Mr Lamido, in an ex parte motion filed by his lawyer, Jeph Njikonye, on 31 October, had prayed the court to grant the interim order pending the hearing of the motion on notice.

He argued that if PDP was not restrained, the party would violate its constitution and deny him the opportunity to contest for national chairman.

On 31 October, Mr Lifu declined to grant the motion but ordered PDP and INEC to show cause why Mr Lamido’s reliefs should not be granted, giving them 72 hours to respond.

The matter was adjourned to 6 November.

At the resumed hearing on 6 November, PDP and INEC filed affidavits asking the court to refuse Mr Lamido’s application.

After hearing arguments, Mr Lifu adjourned the case until today for the delivery of the ruling.

Ruling

While delivering the ruling, the judge predicated the restriction order against the PDP on the party’s refusal, neglect, and failure to comply with the relevant conditions and laws governing the conduct of such conventions.

Judge Lifu held that evidence from Mr Lamido showed that the timetable for the convention was not published for members as required by law. He maintained that the balance of convenience favoured Mr Lamido, who “would suffer more if allowed to be unlawfully excluded from the planned convention.

The judge said Mr Lamido had undertaken to pay damages to the PDP if the suit were found to be frivolous. He added that in a constitutional democracy, due process must be strictly followed to protect democratic principles.

“In line with Section 6 of the 1999 Constitution, courts must dispense justice without fear or favour,” he said, because anarchy would prevail if courts abdicated their constitutionally assigned functions.

He therefore restrained the PDP from proceeding with the convention scheduled for 15 and 16 November or any other date “in Ibadan or elsewhere.”

The judge had, after the ruling, stood down the case until 1 p.m. for the hearing of the substantive suit. However, at the resumed hearing, parties adopted their briefs, and the court adjourned until 13 November to deliver the judgment.