PDP Crisis Worsens As National Chairman, Legal Adviser Disagree In Open Court

The situation rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) took a caller turn, Tuesday, astatine the Federal High Court successful Abuja, wherever the National Chairman of the party, Ambassador Umar Damagum, and the party’s National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade, openly disagreed with 1 different successful the courtroom.

During the proceeding of a suit seeking to halt the planned National Convention of the enactment instituted by 3 aggrieved enactment members, Damagum and Ajibade battled for respective minutes connected who has the powerfulness to name a lawyer to correspond the party.

While Damagum, who was physically contiguous successful court, successful a missive helium personally signed, mandated Chris Uche, SAN, to correspond PDP successful the ineligible action, Ajibade, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) insisted that helium was the lone authorization that tin name ineligible practice for PDP.

When the substance was called earlier Justice James Omotosho, Joseph Daudu, SAN, announced quality for the 3 plaintiffs, namely, Hon. Austin Nwachukwu (Imo State PDP chairman), Hon Amah Abraham Nnanna (Abia State PDP chairman) and Turnah Alabah George (PDP Secretary, South-South).

Trouble, however, started erstwhile Chief Chris Uche, SAN, with much than 5 different SANs announced quality for PDP, the determination that was instantly countered by Kamaldeen Ajibade, SAN, who is the PDP National Legal Adviser, who besides announced quality for the aforesaid party.

In the play that ensued, Uche, informed Justice Omotosho that helium had a missive from PDP National Chairman appointing him to correspond the enactment successful the suit portion astatine the aforesaid clip Ajibade replied that helium was the sole authorization vested with powerfulness by PDP Constitution to name ineligible practice for the enactment and cited immoderate judgements to that effect.

Apparently taken aback by the development, Justice Omotosho stood down the proceeding of the substance for 10 minutes for the National Chairman and the National Legal Adviser to spell retired of the tribunal to enactment their location successful order.

After astir 10 minutes, the 2 parties reported that they were incapable to reconcile connected ineligible practice for the party, prompting Chris Uche, SAN, to question for a abbreviated adjournment to alteration the National Chairman and the National Legal Adviser spot however to reconcile their differences.

At that point, Daudu, SAN, who stood for the plaintiffs pleaded with the Judge to spell up into the proceeding of his client’s substance if connected the adjourned date, the 2 parties were incapable to resoluteness their differences.

Justice Omotosho subsequently fixed Thursday, October 16, for the proceeding of the matter.

At Tuesday’s proceedings, Justice Omotosho joined Umar Damagum, Ali Odefa and Chief Emmanuel Ogidi arsenic 7th, 8th and 9th defendants successful the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2120/2025.

They were joined successful 2 abstracted applications argued by their respective lawyers, Paul Erokoro and Audu Anuga, each Senior Advocates of Nigeria.

Erokoro, portion arguing for Damagum’s joinder, informed the tribunal that helium was a indispensable enactment connected relationship of his being the National Chairman of PDP, Chairman of the National Working Committee (NWC), Chairman of the National Executive Committee arsenic good arsenic the president of the Convention Committee.

Audu Anuga, SAN, successful his submission connected joinder for Ali Odefa and Emmanuel Ogidi, informed the tribunal that the 2 are officers of the PDP, who would beryllium affected 1 mode oregon the different by the result of the case.

The joinder petition was vehemently opposed by the counsel to the 3 plaintiffs, Joseph Daudu, who urged the tribunal to discountenance the requests.

Daudu, SAN argued that the 3 plaintiffs did not question immoderate alleviation against those seeking to beryllium joined, adding that their requests for joinder, and if joined, would service nary purpose.

In his little ruling, Justice Omotosho said helium had considered the presumption of Umar Illiya Damagum, Ali Odefa and Emmanuel Ogidi and recovered them to beryllium indispensable parties that would beryllium affected 1 mode oregon the different by the result of the case.

The justice past granted their requests and ordered the 3 plaintiffs to marque them arsenic 7th, 8th and 9th defendants, respectively.

The justice besides ordered the plaintiffs to effect consequential amendments for the names of the 3 radical to bespeak successful the processes that would beryllium filed successful respect of the matter.

The archetypal six defendants are Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), PDP, Samuel Anyanwu (National Secretary of the party), Umar Bature (National Organizing Secretary of the party), NWC, and NEC of the party.

The 3 plaintiffs had instituted the suit seeking to halt the planned November 15 and 16, 2025 National Convention of PDP scheduled for Ibadan successful Oyo State wherever caller National Officers of the enactment are expected to be elected.