Peoples Democratic Party chieftains loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, on Monday, petitioned the National Judicial Council over alleged judicial misconduct by Justice A.L. Akintola of the Oyo State High Court.
The PDP chieftains, Hon. Austine Nwachukwu, Hon. Amah Abraham Nnanna, and Turnah Alabh George, who had earlier taken the Umar Damagum-led National Working Committee (NWC) to court in a bid to stop the convention, wrote the petition against Justice Akintola and submitted it to the NJC in Abuja.
The petition dated November 5, 2025 was received and acknowledged by the Office of the Chief Justice of Nigeria on November 6, 2025.
The petitioners are accusing Justice Akintola of the Oyo State High Court of “judicial recklessness, impunity, and flagrant violation of established legal processes.”
Two of the petitioners, Hon. Amah Abraham Nnanna, and his counterpart from Abia, Nwachukwu, at a press conference on Monday in Abuja, alleged that Justice Akintola issued an ex parte order on November 4, 2025, authorising the conduct of the PDP National Convention in Ibadan on November 15 and 16, 2025.
They claimed that the order directly contradicted a subsisting judgment of the Federal High Court in Abuja, delivered on October 31, 2025 (Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/2120/2025), which had expressly restrained the PDP from holding the convention on those dates.
The petitioners argued that Justice Akintola’s action amounted to sitting on appeal over a judgment of a court of coordinate jurisdiction, describing it as a breach of judicial order and a threat to the rule of law.
“This disturbing development not only threatens the integrity of the Nigerian judiciary but also risks setting a dangerous precedent capable of eroding public confidence in the justice system,” they stated.
The PDP chieftains, therefore, appealed to the NJC to act swiftly and decisively, warning that failure to address the matter could embolden judicial officers who disregard due process.
“The NJC must reaffirm its commitment to discipline, impartiality, and the preservation of judicial integrity by ensuring that errant judicial officers are held accountable without delay,” they said.
The petitioners also reminded the NJC of how it had acted promptly in similar cases of judicial misconduct in Rivers, Imo, and other states, urging it to maintain the same standard and act swiftly.
“The Nigerian judiciary must remain the last hope of the common man and not a tool in the hands of those seeking to subvert justice for political expediency. The NJC’s prompt and transparent action on this petition will go a long way in restoring faith in the judiciary and reinforcing the principle that no one, no matter how highly placed, is above the law,” the PDP chieftains said.
