Sule Lamido Expresses Regret Over Legal Action Against PDP, Citing Exclusion from 2025 Convention
In a move that underscores deepening internal divisions within Nigeria’s main opposition party, former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido has voiced profound sadness over his decision to take the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to court. The legal confrontation stems from his alleged exclusion from the party’s upcoming 2025 national convention.
A Painful Legal Battle for Party Veteran
Lamido, who previously served as Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, described the court action as a heartbreaking necessity. Despite successfully obtaining a restraining order against the PDP’s planned convention, the veteran politician expressed little satisfaction in his legal victory.
“In this case, if my party lost, I also lost. I feel like crying taking this path,” Lamido told journalists outside the Federal High Court in Abuja. “When we fight as brothers, the trust is lost; the bond of brotherhood is also lost.”
Court Halts PDP Convention Over Due Process Concerns
Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court issued an interim order restraining the PDP from proceeding with its 2025 National Convention scheduled for November 15-16 in Ibadan, Oyo State. The court’s decision came in response to Lamido’s petition alleging that the party leadership denied him the opportunity to purchase the national chairmanship nomination form.
The ruling also barred the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from supervising, monitoring, or recognizing any outcomes from the convention where national officers were expected to be elected.
Legal Grounds for the Restraining Order
Justice Lifu justified the restriction order by citing the PDP’s failure to comply with relevant conditions and laws governing party conventions. Evidence presented showed that the timetable for the convention had not been properly published for members’ attention as required by law.
The judge emphasized that in a constitutional democracy, due process must be strictly followed, warning that to do otherwise would endanger democracy itself. He noted that Lamido would suffer greater harm if unlawfully excluded from the convention and that the former governor had undertaken to pay damages should his suit be found frivolous.
Historical Context and Party Relations
Lamido recalled his long-standing relationship with the PDP, which saw him elected as Jigawa State Governor and appointed Foreign Affairs Minister. His decision to seek legal recourse represents a significant departure from his historical allegiance to the party he helped build.
The former governor maintained that as a bona fide PDP member, he had approached the national leadership to purchase the chairmanship nomination form but was systematically denied access, leaving him with no alternative but legal action.
Previous Legal Challenges to Convention
This isn’t the first legal obstacle facing the PDP’s convention plans. On October 31, another Federal High Court judge, James Omotosho, issued similar orders stopping INEC from supervising or recognizing the convention outcomes. Justice Omotosho had ruled that the PDP failed to issue the mandatory 21 days’ notice of meetings and congresses, preventing INEC from carrying out its monitoring duties.
Broader Implications for Nigerian Democracy
The court’s firm stance highlights the judiciary’s role in maintaining democratic standards within political parties. Justice Lifu referenced Section 6 of the 1999 Constitution, emphasizing that courts must not abdicate their role of dispensing justice without fear or favor.
“Anarchy would be the order of the day, anytime, anywhere, if the court of record abdicated its constitutionally assigned functions,” Justice Lifu asserted in his ruling.
What Comes Next for the PDP?
With parties having adopted their various briefs on Tuesday, the court has scheduled November 13 for judgment in the substantive matter filed by Lamido. The timing creates additional pressure for the opposition party, which now faces consecutive legal setbacks in its convention preparations.
The restraining order remains in effect, prohibiting the PDP from proceeding with the convention in Ibadan or any other location until legal requirements are satisfied.
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