On Friday, the Federal High Court in Abuja delivered a significant ruling that prohibits the National Executive Committee (NEC) and the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from removing Amb. Ilya Damagum as the Acting National Chairman. The court’s decision mandates that no other individual can be recognized as the national chairman of the PDP until the party’s national convention, scheduled for December next year.

Justice Peter Lifu issued this restraining order while ruling on a suit filed by Senator Umar El-Gash Maina against the PDP NEC, BoT, and several others. In his judgment, Justice Lifu referenced Articles 42, 47, and 67 of the PDP Constitution, asserting that national officers can only be elected during the National Convention.

Maina, who claims to be the PDP Chairman in Yobe State, alleged that certain stakeholders were conducting secret meetings aimed at forcibly removing Damagum from his position, in direct violation of the party’s Constitution. He specifically pointed out that Dr. Phillip Omeiza Salawu, a former Deputy Governor of Kogi State, was being promoted as Damagum’s replacement.

Upon discovering the alleged plots, Maina stated that he submitted two letters of complaint to the national secretary of the party, Senator Samuel Anyanwu. Despite acknowledging receipt, he claimed that the National Secretary and BoT members failed to address his concerns.

In the suit represented by Joshua Musa, SAN, Maina requested the court to enforce articles 45, 47, and 67 of the PDP Constitution to halt the efforts to replace Damagum. He emphasized that the national chairmanship should rotate between the northern and southern regions, as stipulated in the party’s Constitution.

After reviewing the PDP Constitution and relevant evidence, Justice Lifu sided with Maina, stating that Damagum could only be replaced at the national convention or by a court order. He stressed that any attempt to disrupt the unexhausted four-year tenure allocated to the northern region without a national convention would violate the party’s Constitution.

The judge dismissed objections from the defendants, which claimed that the plaintiff lacked standing and that the court had no jurisdiction. Justice Lifu affirmed that Maina’s status as a PDP member and his commitment to protecting the party’s Constitution gave him sufficient grounds to bring the case.

In conclusion, the court declared that the PDP NEC and BoT must adhere to the party’s Constitution, reinforcing that Damagum, having been appointed from the northern region previously represented by Senator Iyorcha Ayu, is entitled to complete the remaining tenure as national chairman.