Headlines
Again, Court Stops PDP Convention
A Federal High Court in Abuja has again stopped the Peoples Democratic Party from proceeding with its planned national convention scheduled to take place in Ibadan, Oyo State, between November 15 and 16.
The court also barred the Independent National Electoral Commission from supervising, monitoring, or recognising any outcome from the planned convention where national officers were expected to be elected, Channels reports.
Justice Peter Lifu issued the restraining order on Tuesday while ruling on an application filed by former Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido.
Lamido had sued the party, alleging that he was unjustly denied the opportunity to purchase the nomination form for the national chairmanship position, thereby excluding him from the exercise.
Justice Lifu said the order became necessary because the PDP failed to comply with the relevant legal requirements guiding the conduct of such conventions.
He noted that evidence before the court showed the party did not publish the timetable for the exercise as required by law, and therefore acted in breach of due process.
The judge further held that the balance of convenience favoured Lamido, as he would suffer greater harm if unlawfully excluded from the process.
“In a constitutional democracy, due process of law must be strictly observed by those in authority. To act otherwise is to endanger the very foundation of democracy itself,” he said.
He added that, under Section 6 of the 1999 Constitution, courts must not abdicate their responsibility of delivering justice without fear or favour.
Justice Lifu warned that anarchy could result anywhere the judiciary fails to perform its constitutional duties.
In his final ruling, the court restrained the PDP from holding the convention on November 15 and 16, or on any other date, in Ibadan or elsewhere.
It also ordered INEC not to monitor or recognise the outcome of any such gathering organised by the party.
In October 2025, the Federal High Court in Abuja stopped the PDP from proceeding with its planned national convention.
In the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2120/2025, Justice James Omotosho ordered that the convention be halted until the party complies with the statutory requirements of its constitution, the Nigerian Constitution, and the Electoral Act.
The suit was instituted by three aggrieved members of the party, Austin Nwachukwu (Imo PDP Chairman), Amah Abraham Nnanna (Abia PDP Chairman), and Turnah Alabh George (PDP Secretary, South-South).
They asked the court to stop the PDP’s scheduled national convention in Ibadan, where new national officers were expected to be elected, arguing that the planned convention violated the Electoral Act and the PDP’s internal rules.
However, on November 4, the Oyo State High Court granted the PDP approval to proceed with its convention.
Justice Akintola issued an interim order permitting the party to continue its convention plans without obstruction, following an ex-parte motion filed by Folahan Adelabi against the PDP, its Acting National Chairman Umar Damagum, Governor Ahmadu Fintiri (Chairman of the National Convention Organising Committee) and INEC.
Justice Akintola, however, on Monday, adjourned the hearing of a Motion on Notice in a separate suit filed by Folahan Malomo Adelabi against the PDP, its acting National Chairman, and other respondents.
The judge explained that the adjournment was to allow both parties to file and exchange all necessary processes before the substantive hearing could begin.
The Super Eagles of Nigeria defeated Egypt 4-2 on penalties to win the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025 third-place playoff on Saturday.
Goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali proved the hero of the night with two crucial saves during the shootout, including one from Egyptian star Mohamed Salah.
Ademola Lookman then calmly converted the decisive penalty to secure the bronze medal —Nigeria’s ninth third-place finish in AFCON history.
With neither side able to break the deadlock in a cagey second half, the game ended 0-0, sending the contest directly to penalties.
Despite Fisayo Dele-Bashiru missing Nigeria’s first kick, Nwabali’s immediate saved from Egypt’s first two attempts shifted the momentum.
The Supreme Court has dismissed the appeal of the son of a former Jigawa State governor, challenging the decision of the trial court, which convicted him for failing to declare $40,000 at Kano airport.
In a unanimous decision, the apex court panel dismissed the appeal of Aminu Sule Lamido, the son of former governor Sule Lamido, for lack of merit.
Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arrested Aminu on December 11, 2012, at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport while preparing to travel to Cairo, Egypt.
The prosecution said Aminu declared $10,000 to the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), but was found with an additional $40,000, which was not disclosed on his currency declaration form.
The EFCC charged him before the Federal High Court in Kano on a one-count offence of false declaration of foreign currency, contrary to provisions of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act.
On July 12, 2015, the court convicted Aminu and ordered him to forfeit 25 per cent of the undeclared sum to the Federal government.
Dissatisfied with the ruling, Aminu approached the Court of Appeal in Kaduna to overturn the conviction and set aside the forfeiture order.
In a judgment delivered on December 7, 2015, however, the Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has ordered that the trial of former governor Lamido, his two sons, and others, over alleged N1.35billion fraud, should continue before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
A five-member panel of the apex court issued the directive in two unanimous judgments, in the two appeals filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The Supreme Court upheld the decision of the trial court, which dismissed the no-case submission filed by the Lamidos and held that the defendants had a case to answer.
Both appeals were against the July 25, 2023, judgments of the Court of Appeal in Abuja, which upheld the no-case submission made by Lamido and others and struck out the 37-count charge on which they were being prosecuted, on the grounds that the Federal High Court in Abuja lacked the jurisdiction to hear the case.
In the lead judgments of the Supreme Court, Justice Abubakar Umar set aside the July 25, 2023 judgments of the Court of Appeal and affirmed the earlier decision by Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, which overruled the no-case submissions by Lamido and others and ordered them to enter their defence.
The EFCC, in the 37-count charge, among others, accused Lamido of abusing his position as a governor between 2007 and 2015, allegedly laundering sums of money received as kickbacks from companies that were awarded contracts by the Jigawa State Government under his leadership.
The other defendants charged alongside Lamido are his two sons – Aminu and Mustapha; Aminu Wada Abubakar and their companies – Bamaina Holdings Ltd and Speeds International Ltd.
