The Court of Appeal, sitting in Abuja, has upheld the judgment of the Federal High Court, Abuja, which on October 31, 2025, restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, from recognizing the outcome of the 2025 National Convention of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
The National Convention was conducted between November 15 and 16 in Ibadan, Oyo State.
Delivering judgment in an appeal against the Federal High Court decision, Justice Uchechukwu Onyemenam, held that PDP violated Constitutional provisions required before such convention can become valid.
Among others, Justice Onyemenam said no valid of convention notice was served on the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, as required by law.
The appellate Court also held that valid congresses were not held in more than 14 states as provided by law before 2025 convention was put in place.
Justice Onyemenam held that the case of the aggrieved PDP members, who instituted the case against the party, was not on internal affairs of the party, as erroneously held, but the desire to force INEC to comply with its statutory functions in relation to party conventions.
Having failed to comply with the relevant laws, the Court of Appeal held that the Federal High Court was right in assuming jurisdiction and grant restraining order against INEC from accepting or recognising the outcome of the PDP 2025 national convention.
Justice James Omotosho, had on October 31, 2025, issued the order that restrained INEC from recognizing the outcome of the Ibadan convention until all provisions of the laws are complied with.
The judge predicated the decision on the grounds that the PDP failed to comply with relevant conditions and laws for the conduct of such conventions.
The judge had held that evidence provided by the electoral umpire and some of the aggrieved PDP members, showed that congresses were not held in some states of the Federation in breach of the law.
In addition, the lower court had also held that the signing of notices and correspondence of the PDP by its National Chairman without the National Secre
