Court of Appeal Upholds Judgment Against 2025 PDP National Convention, Dismisses PDP Appeal

By Micheal Chukwuebuka

The court of appeal Abuja division has upheld the judgment of the federal high court in 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 capital.

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.

Justice Onyemenam equally held that no valid convention notice was served on the independent national electoral commission, INEC, as required by law.

The appellate court also held valid congresses were not held in more than 14 states as provided by law before 2025 convention was put in place.

Justice onyemenam held 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.

The intermediate court held that non compliance with the 1999 constitution, electoral act 2022 and party constitution and guidelines are at the hearts of democratic governance and compliance must be strictly enforced in the interest of democracy.

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 trial court predicated its decision on the grounds that the PDP failed to comply with relevant conditions and laws for the conduct of such conventions.