The Federal High Court in Abuja has issued an order preventing the National Executive Committee (NEC) and Board of Trustees (BoT) of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) from removing Umar Damagum as the party’s Acting National Chairman.
Justice Peter Lifu ruled that only Damagum should be recognized as the PDP National Chairman until the party’s national convention, scheduled for December 2025.
This restraining order was issued during the court’s ruling on a lawsuit filed by Senator Umar El-Gash Maina against the PDP NEC, BoT, and others.
The judge emphasized that, according to Articles 42, 47, and 67 of the PDP constitution, national officers can only be elected at the party’s national convention.
Justice Lifu further noted that PDP members are bound by the party’s constitution and must act in accordance with its provisions.
The plaintiff, who identified himself as the PDP chairman in Yobe State, filed the suit against the PDP and eight others, alleging that some stakeholders within the party were secretly planning to oust Damagum, in violation of the party’s constitution.
He also claimed that a former Deputy Governor of Kogi State, Phillip Salawu, was being positioned as Damagum’s replacement.
Maina stated that after discovering the plan, he sent two letters of complaint to the party’s National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu. Despite acknowledging receipt, Anyanwu and the BoT have reportedly failed to take any action.
Represented by Senior Advocate of Nigeria Joshua Musa, the plaintiff requested that the court enforce Articles 45, 47, and 67 of the PDP constitution to block any attempts to replace Damagum as Acting National Chairman.
The plaintiff explicitly requested the court to affirm that the chairmanship of the PDP is to be rotated between the northern and southern regions, and cannot be changed through any procedures not outlined in the PDP’s Constitution.
In his ruling, after reviewing the PDP Constitution and related documents, Justice Lifu concurred with the plaintiff, stating that Damagum can only be replaced at the PDP’s national convention or via a court order.
Justice Lifu further asserted that any attempt to disrupt the four-year term designated for the northern region, which is still ongoing, without a national convention, would be a violation of the PDP Constitution.
Earlier, the judge had rejected the defendants’ objections to the lawsuit, which argued that the plaintiff lacked standing and that the court had no jurisdiction to hear the case.
Justice Lifu clarified that the plaintiff based his suit on the need to protect the PDP Constitution from violations and highlighted that the northern region, from which he hails, is being disadvantaged.
The judge noted that the plaintiff had presented his PDP membership card to the court and raised a significant issue regarding the safeguarding of the party’s Constitution, establishing his legitimate interest and grounds to pursue the case.
Consequently, the judge ruled that the PDP NEC and BoT must adhere to the party’s Constitution, affirming that Damagum, as national chairman, can only be replaced through the national convention. He also stated that Damagum, having been appointed from the northern region where former national chairman Iyorcha Ayu originated, is entitled to complete the remainder of his term.