The crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, took a new dimension at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday as the National Chairman, Umar Iliya Damagum and the National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade, disagreed in open court.
During the hearing of a suit seeking to stop the party’s planned National Convention, instituted by three aggrieved members, Damagum and Ajibade battled for several minutes over who has the power to appoint a lawyer to represent the party.
While Damagum, who was physically present in court, in a letter he personally signed, mandated Chris Uche, SAN, to represent PDP in the suit, Ajibade, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, insisted that he was the only authority that can appoint legal representation for the party.
When the matter was called before Justice James Omotosho, Joseph Daudu, SAN, announced appearance for the three plaintiffs, namely Austin Nwachukwu, Imo PDP chairman, Amah Abraham Nnanna, Abia PDP chairman and Turnah Alabh George, PDP Secretary, South-South.
Trouble however started when Chris Uche, SAN, with more than five other SANs, announced appearance for PDP, a move that was immediately countered by Ajibade, the PDP National Legal Adviser, who also announced appearance for the same party.
In the drama that ensued, Uche informed Justice Omotosho that he had a letter from the PDP National Chairman appointing him to represent the party in the suit. But Ajibade replied that he is the sole authority vested with power by PDP Constitution to appoint legal representation for the party and cited some judgements to that effect.
Apparently taken aback by the development, Justice Omotosho stood down the hearing of the matter for 10 minutes for the National Chairman and the National Legal Adviser to go out of the courtroom to put their house in order.
At the end of the 10 minutes, the two parties reported that they were unable to reconcile on legal representation, prompting Uche to seek for a short adjournment to enable the National Chairman and the National Legal Adviser reconcile their differences.
At this point, Daudu, who stood for the plaintiffs, pleaded with the judge to go ahead into the hearing of his clients’ matter if, on the adjourned date, the two parties are unable to resolve their differences.
Justice Omotosho subsequently fixed Thursday, October 16, 2025, for hearing of the matter.
At Tuesday’s proceedings, Justice Omotosho joined Umar Iliya Damagum, Ali Odefa and Chief Emmanuel Ogidi as 7th, 8th and 9th defendants in the suit marked, FHC/ABJ/CS/2120/2025.
They were joined in two separate applications argued by their respective lawyers, Paul Erokoro and Audu Anuga, all SANs.
Erokoro, while arguing for Damagum’s joinder, informed the court that he is a necessary party on account of his being the National Chairman of PDP, Chairman of the National Working Committee, NWC, Chairman of the National Executive Committee as well as the Chairman of the Convention committee.
Anuga in his submission on joinder for Ali Odefa and Emmanuel Ogidi, informed the court that the two are officers of the PDP who would be affected one way or the other by the outcome of the case.
The joinder request was vehemently opposed by the counsel to the three plaintiffs, Daudu, who urged the court to discountenance the request.
Daudu argued that the three plaintiffs did not seek any relief against those seeking to be joined, adding that their request for joinder, and if joined, would serve no purpose.
In his brief ruling, Justice Omotosho said he had considered the status of Umar Illiya Damagum, Ali Odefa and Emmanuel Ogidi and found them to be necessary parties that would be affected one way or the other by the outcome of the case.
The judge then granted their request and ordered the three plaintiffs to make them 7th, 8th and 9th defendants in the suit.
The judge also ordered the plaintiffs to effect consequential amendments for the names of the three people to reflect in the processes that would be filed in respect of the matter.
The first six defendants are Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, PDP, Samuel Anyanwu, National Secretary, Umar Baturrle, National Organizing Secretary, NWC and the party’s NEC.
The three plaintiffs had instituted the suit seeking to stop the planned November 15 and 16, 2025 National Convention of the PDP, scheduled for Ibadan in Oyo State, where new national officers of the party are expected to be elected.
