The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its acting national chairman, Iliya Damagun, to refrain from taking any actions that could affect the outcome of the party’s recent South-South zonal meeting and elective congress, both of which are now subjects of a pending legal dispute.
Justice James Omotosho issued the directive on Monday while ruling on a motion in a suit filed by Alabh George Turnah, who is suing on behalf of himself as Zonal Secretary of the South-South zone and other members of the zone’s working committee. The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/447/2025, lists Damagun, the PDP, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as defendants.
Turnah alleged that the PDP leadership was planning to convene a meeting on March 11 to invalidate the decisions made at the South-South zonal meeting in Benin, Edo State on February 15, and the zonal congress held on February 22 in Calabar, Cross River State. At the Calabar congress, Chief Dan Osi Orbih was re-elected as Vice Chairman for the South-South zone, along with Turnah and others as members of the Zonal Working Committee.
The plaintiff contends that the national leadership of the party does not have the authority to interfere in zonal congresses or meetings, especially since the PDP itself had set the timetable that guided the February 22 congress.
In his ruling, Justice Omotosho declined to grant the ex-parte motion immediately, stating that the matter involves serious issues that require hearing from the defendants. He emphasized that the interests of justice would be better served by allowing all parties to present their cases before any injunctions are granted.
However, the judge ordered that the defendants be served through substituted means—by pasting the court documents at the PDP’s national headquarters in Abuja or handing them to any adult present. He cautioned the defendants not to take any steps that could undermine the pending motion or render the eventual court decision ineffective.
Justice Omotosho reiterated that once parties are served with court processes in an ongoing case, they are legally bound not to act in ways that could frustrate judicial proceedings. He warned against actions that might destroy the subject matter of the case or nullify the court’s eventual ruling. He stressed that such actions would be treated as null and void.
The court adjourned the matter to March 18 for the defendants to file their responses and for a possible hearing on the motion for interlocutory injunctions.
The plaintiff is seeking two main reliefs in the motion filed on March 7. First, an order restraining the PDP and Damagun from convening or recognizing any meeting aimed at overturning the resolutions of the South-South Zonal Committee and congress. Second, an order restraining INEC from acknowledging any such meeting or decisions until the substantive suit is resolved.