Court Restrains PDP NEC, BoT From Sacking Damagum As Acting National Chairman

Justice Peter Lifu of Federal High Court in Abuja, on Friday restrained the National Executive Committee (NEC) and Board of Trustees (BoT) of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) from removing Ambassador Umar Ilya Damagum as the Acting National Chairman of the party

Justice Lifu issued the restraining order against PDP NEC, BoT and others while delivering judgment in a suit instituted against them by Senator Umar El-Gash Maina,

He ordered that no other person must be recognized as PDP national chairman other than Damagum until the national convention of the party scheduled for December next year.

The judge also held that in line with Articles 42, 47 and 67 of PDP, it is only at the National Convention of the party that national officers can be elected.

In the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/ CS/579/2024, Justice Lifu said that PDP members are bound by the Constitution of the party and as such must always act in line with the provisions and obedience to the party’s law

The plaintiff, who claimed to be chairman of PDP in Yobe state had instituted the suit against PDP and eight others alleging that some stakeholders of the party have been holding clandestine meetings to forcefully remove Damagum from office in gross violation of the party’s Constitution.

He said that a former Deputy Governor of Kogi State, Dr Phillip Omeiza Salawu was being pushed forward as replacement for Damagun by the stakeholders.

Maina claimed that upon becoming aware of the plan, two separate letters complaining against the clandestine meetings were delivered to the national secretary of the party, Senator Samuel Anyanwu and that despite the acknowledgment of the two letters, the National Secretary and BoT members have never deemed it fit to act on the letters and their claims.

In the suit instituted on his behalf by Joshua Musa, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, the plaintiff therefore prayed the court to invoke article 45, 47 and 67 of PDP Constitution to stop the move to replace Damagum as the Acting National Chairman.

The plaintiff specifically asked the court to declare that the national chairmanship of PDP is rotated between the north and south region and not through any other procedure not enshrined in the PDP’s Constitution.

In his judgment, Justice Lifu agreed with the plaintiff that Damagum can only be replaced at the national convention of PDP or through an order of a court.

Justice Lifu also held that any attempt to truncate un-exhausted four years tenure of the northern region without the national convention of the party will amount to an affront to the Constitution of the PDP.