Damagum, PDP legal adviser clash in court over suit to stop convention

The crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) deepened on Tuesday as its acting National Chairman, Ambassador Umar Iliya Damagun, and National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade (SAN), clashed openly in court over who has the authority to appoint lawyers to represent the party. Both men appeared before Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, […]

The crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) deepened on Tuesday as its acting National Chairman, Ambassador Umar Iliya Damagun, and National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade (SAN), clashed openly in court over who has the authority to appoint lawyers to represent the party.

Both men appeared before Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, in a suit seeking to stop the PDP’s planned national convention scheduled for November 15 and 16. The suit was filed by three aggrieved party officials — Hon. Austin Nwachukwu (Imo PDP chairman), Hon. Amah Abraham Nnanna (Abia PDP chairman) and Turnah George (PDP Secretary, South-South), allies of the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, who had threatened the conduct of the convention.

The plaintiffs, represented by Joseph Daudu (SAN), are urging the court to halt the planned convention, alleging that the party has not conducted the required congresses to elect delegates. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), PDP, its National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu, National Organising Secretary, Umar Bature, National Working Committee (NWC), and National Executive Committee (NEC) are all listed as defendants in the suit.

However, the proceedings took a dramatic turn when Damagun informed the court that he had authorised Chris Uche (SAN) and five other Senior Advocates of Nigeria to represent the PDP in the case. Ajibade immediately objected, insisting that as the party’s legal adviser, only he has the statutory authority to appoint legal representation on behalf of the PDP.

Justice Omotosho attempted to mediate the disagreement by standing the matter down to allow both sides to reconcile, but the efforts failed. The judge subsequently adjourned the case to October 16 for hearing.

Earlier, the court joined three additional PDP chieftains — Ali Odefa, Emmanuel Ogidi, and Emmanuel Agbo — as necessary parties in the suit following applications from their counsel.

In the substantive case, the plaintiffs are seeking a declaration that since the PDP “failed to hold the required congresses to elect delegates to vote at its convention” and did not meet the constitutional requirements for a democratic election of its officers, the party cannot validly issue or submit the mandatory 21 days’ notice to INEC for the proposed convention.

They are also asking the court to restrain INEC from recognising or acting upon any notice from the PDP concerning the planned November convention.

The clash in court came amid mounting criticism from the PDP caucus in the House of Representatives over what it described as growing judicial interference in party affairs. The lawmakers, led by Hon. Fred Agbedi, recently warned that controversial rulings targeting opposition activities could undermine Nigeria’s multiparty democracy. Their statement followed Justice Omotosho’s earlier pronouncements in the same case, which, though declining to stop the PDP’s meetings and convention, hinted that any decisions taken while the suit is pending could be nullified — a position the caucus termed “judicial overreach.”