Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to shelve its national convention until a chairmanship nomination form is made available to former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido .
Delivering his judgment in the matter on Friday, Justice Lifu held that the PDP, by its conduct, had breached its guidelines and constitution, saying that the major opposition party is bound to obey its own constitution.
According to the judge, the essence of the development is to avoid illegality.
The judge further observed that by Lamido’s averment before the court, the former Jigawa Governor said he was at the party’s national secretariat on October 27, 2025 to purchase the nomination form but was denied, even when the form would be closing 14 days to the national convention.
Justice Lifu also observed that from the exhibit tendered, the party’s consensus candidate was said to have stated that “how we got the form is immaterial” as long as the timetable for the nomination form had closed.
The judge held that from the tone of such statement, it showed that how the chairmanship nomination form was purchased was irregular and not transparent.
The judge therefore ordered the PDP to create opportunities for its members, including the plaintiff, to contest during the party’s convention.
Justice Lifu consequently ordered that the National Convention, scheduled for November 15 and 16, 2025 be put on hold until Lamido is allowed to exercise his constitutional right.
The judge also barred the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from monitoring, supervising or recognising the outcome of the national convention until the party does the needful.
