There was a new twist to the internal crisis plaguing the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Monday as a group of party stakeholders petitioned the National Judicial Council (NJC) against Justice Ladiran Akintola of the Oyo State High Court over his recent ex parte order permitting the party to hold its national convention in Ibadan.
The petitioners alleged that Justice Akintola’s ruling contradicted an earlier order 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 earlier, barred the party from proceeding with the convention, citing non-compliance with internal party procedures for notifying the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). However, Justice Akintola later vacated the Abuja order, granting the PDP leave to hold the event as scheduled.
The development has further widened the rift within the opposition party, with suspended National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu, leading a faction loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, while acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, leads another bloc.
In a petition dated November 5, 2025, and acknowledged by the Office of the Chief Justice of Nigeria on November 6, the PDP stakeholders, including Austine Nwachukwu, Amah Nnanna, and Turnah George, accused Justice Akintola of “judicial recklessness, impunity, and a flagrant violation of established legal processes.”
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja, Nwachukwu, who introduced 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, on November 4, 2025, issued an ex parte order authorising the PDP to hold its convention in Ibadan on November 15 and 16. They described the decision as a direct affront to a subsisting order of the Federal High Court, Abuja, delivered on October 31, 2025 (Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/2120/2025), which had expressly restrained the party from holding the convention on those dates.
According to the petition, Justice Akintola’s ruling 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 stated.
The petitioners urged the NJC to investigate the matter and take disciplinary action against the judge, warning that failure to act could embolden judicial officers who disregard 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,” they said.
They further reminded the NJC of past disciplinary cases involving judges in Rivers, Imo, and other states, 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 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.
