The Court of Appeal in Abuja has affirmed an earlier judgment of the Federal High Court restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising the outcome of the 2025 National Convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) held in Ibadan, Oyo State.
Delivering the judgment, Justice Uchechukwu Onyemenam ruled that the party failed to comply with key constitutional and electoral requirements before conducting the convention. The court held that no valid notice of the convention was served on Independent National Electoral Commission as required by law, and that proper congresses were not conducted in more than 14 states before the convention took place.
The appellate court further rejected the argument that the matter was an internal party affair, stating that the suit filed by aggrieved members was aimed at compelling INEC to perform its statutory responsibilities regarding party conventions.
Justice Onyemenam maintained that the lower court acted correctly in assuming jurisdiction and restraining INEC from recognising the outcome of the convention.
Earlier, on October 31, 2025, Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court of Nigeria had issued the order after finding that the Peoples Democratic Party failed to meet legal requirements, including the mandatory 21-day notice to INEC and the proper conduct of state congresses.
The case was filed by three PDP members—Austin Nwachukwu, Amah Abraham Nnanna and Turnah Alabh George—who challenged the legitimacy of the convention.
The ruling effectively strengthens the earlier court order barring INEC from accepting or publishing the outcome of the Ibadan convention until the party complies with the provisions of the Constitution, the Electoral Act 2022 and its own guidelines.