PDP Stakeholders Petition NJC Over Justice Akintola’s Ruling on National Convention
The leadership crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) took a new turn on Monday as a group of party stakeholders filed a petition with the National Judicial Council (NJC) against Justice Ladiran Akintola of the Oyo State High Court.
The petition challenges an ex parte order issued by Justice Akintola permitting the PDP to hold its national convention in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
The petitioners accused the judge of judicial misconduct, alleging that his decision contradicts a previous ruling by the Federal High Court in Abuja, which had restrained the PDP from convening the convention.
Two weeks ago, Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, had barred the PDP from proceeding with the national convention, citing the party’s failure to comply with its internal procedures for notifying the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
However, in a development that has fueled tensions within the party, Justice Akintola subsequently vacated the Abuja court’s order, granting the PDP the right to hold the event in Ibadan.
The petitioners are now urging the NJC to review Justice Akintola’s conduct, describing the ruling as a violation of judicial ethics and a source of confusion that risks deepening divisions within the party.
The PDP has not commented on the petition, and it remains unclear whether the national convention will go ahead as scheduled amidst the ongoing legal tussle.
Political analysts say the dispute highlights ongoing internal power struggles within the PDP as the party prepares for upcoming elections, underscoring the fragile nature of its leadership structure.
