Supreme Court Upholds Ruling Nullifying PDP Ibadan Convention

The Supreme Court of Nigeria on Thursday affirmed the decision of the Court of Appeal nullifying the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) national convention held in Ibadan.

In a split judgment delivered by a five-member panel, three justices upheld the earlier ruling voiding the convention, while two others held that the appeal had merit.

The case stemmed from a dispute involving former Jigawa State governor, Sule Lamido, who was allegedly denied the opportunity to purchase nomination forms to contest for the position of PDP National Chairman. Lamido had approached the court, which subsequently ordered that he be allowed to obtain the forms and participate in the process or that the convention should not proceed.

Delivering its judgment, the apex court faulted the PDP for going ahead with the convention despite a subsisting court order. The justices held that the party ought to have complied with the directive of the lower court rather than proceeding with the exercise.

The court emphasised that political parties, as vehicles through which individuals attain public office, must operate within the bounds of the law and show respect for judicial authority.

According to the ruling, the appellant not only disobeyed a valid court order but also sought a conflicting order from a court of coordinate jurisdiction to justify proceeding with the convention. The Supreme Court described the action as a “gross abuse of court process.”

The court further stressed that once a party is aware of a court order, it is legally bound to obey it, reinforcing the importance of adherence to the rule of law in Nigeria’s democratic system.