National convention; PDP stakeholders petitions NJC over Justice Akintola’s ruling
National convention; PDP stakeholders petitions NJC over Justice Akintola’s ruling
The crisis rocking the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party took a fresh twist on Monday as a group of stakeholders petitioned the National Judicial Council against Justice Ladiran Akintola of the Oyo State High Court over an ex parte order permitting the party to hold its national convention in Ibadan, the state capital.
The petitioners accused Justice Akintola of judicial misconduct, alleging that his order contradicted an earlier ruling of the Federal High Court, Abuja, which had restrained the PDP from convening its planned convention.
Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, had two weeks ago barred the PDP from proceeding with the convention, citing non-compliance with the party’s internal procedures for notifying the Independent National Electoral Commission.
However, a week later, Justice Akintola vacated that order, granting the party leave to hold the event in Ibadan.
The conflicting rulings have further deepened divisions within the party, with suspended National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu, leading a faction loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, while the acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, leads the other camp.
In a petition dated November 5, 2025, and received by the Office of the Chief Justice of Nigeria on November 6, the trio of Austine Nwachukwu, Amah Nnanna and Turnah George described Justice Akintola’s action as “judicial recklessness, impunity, and a flagrant violation of established legal processes.”
Addressing journalists in Abuja on Monday, Nwachukwu, who identified himself as the embattled PDP chairman in Imo State, appeared alongside Amah Nnanna, his Abia State counterpart.
The third petitioner, Turnah George, was absent.
The petitioners alleged that Justice Akintola issued an ex parte order on November 4, 2025, authorising the PDP to proceed with its convention on November 15 and 16 in Ibadan.
They said the decision directly conflicted with a subsisting order of the Federal High Court, Abuja, delivered on October 31, 2025 (Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/2120/2025), which restrained the party from holding the event on those dates.
According to the petitioners, Justice Akintola’s order amounted to sitting on appeal over a decision of a court of coordinate jurisdiction, an act they described as “a grave breach of judicial ethics and a threat to the rule of law.”
“This disturbing development not only undermines the integrity of the judiciary but also risks setting a dangerous precedent that could erode public confidence in the justice system,” Nwachukwu said.
They called on the NJC to investigate the matter promptly and take appropriate disciplinary action, warning that failure to do so could embolden judicial officers who act outside established legal boundaries.
“The NJC must reaffirm its commitment to discipline, impartiality, and the preservation of judicial integrity by ensuring that errant judicial officers are held accountable without delay,” the petitioners stated.
They reminded the NJC of similar instances in Rivers, Imo and other states where swift disciplinary action was taken against judges accused of misconduct, urging the Council to apply the same standard in the present case.
“The judiciary must remain the last hope of the common man, not a tool in the hands of those seeking to subvert justice for political gain. Prompt and transparent action by the NJC on this petition will help restore public faith in the justice system and reinforce the principle that no one, no matter how highly placed, is above the law,” Nwachukwu added.
