Former Jigawa State governor, Sule Lamido, on Tuesday, expressed sadness for dragging the Peoples Democratic Party before the Federal High Court in Abuja over his exclusion from the 2025 National Convention of the party.
Lamido, who is also a former Minister of Foreign Affairs, said though the court had restrained the PDP against going ahead with the planned convention, which called for his celebration, he however felt bad that he was forced to opt for the court action.
The former governor recalled his long relationship with the PDP, which culminated in his election as governor of Jigawa State and his appointment as Foreign Affairs Minister, noting that he opted for court action against the PDP to get justice for himself.
Lamido said that as a bona fide member of the PDP, he had approached the national leadership of the party to purchase the national chairmanship nomination form but was denied.
“In this case, if my party lost, I also lost. I feel like crying taking this path. When we fight as brothers, the trust is lost; the bond of brotherhood is also lost,” he said.
The former governor spoke with newsmen shortly after Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, made an interim order restraining the PDP from holding its 2025 National Convention scheduled to hold in Ibadan, Oyo State, between November 15 and 16.
The court also barred the Independent National Electoral Commission from supervising, monitoring, or recognising the outcome of the National Convention where national officers are expected to be elected.
Justice Lifu issued the fresh order while delivering ruling in a motion on notice brought by the former governor against the PDP, which he said denied him the opportunity to buy the chairmanship nomination form to enable him to participate in the convention.
The judge predicated the restriction order against the PDP on the grounds that the party refused, neglected, and failed to comply with relevant conditions and laws for the conduct of such conventions.
The judge held that evidence from Lamido showed that the timetable for the convention was not published for the attention of its members as required by law.
Justice Lifu also held that the balance of convenience tilted towards Lamido because he would suffer more if allowed to be unlawfully excluded from the planned convention.
To make remedy, the judge said that the former governor had undertaken to pay damages to the PDP in the event that his suit was found to be frivolous.
According to the judge, in a constitutional democracy, due process of law must be strictly followed by those in charge, adding that to do otherwise would endanger democracy itself.
He also said that in line with Section 6 of the 1999 Constitution, a court of law must not abdicate its role of dispensing justice without fear or favour.
Justice Lifu held that anarchy would be the order of the day, anytime, anywhere, if the court of record abdicated its constitutionally assigned functions.
In his final pronouncement, the judge restrained the PDP from proceeding with the convention billed for November 15 and 16 or any other date in Ibadan or any other place.
He also stopped INEC from supervising, monitoring, or recognizing the outcome of any convention that may be organized by the PDP.
Meanwhile, parties in the matter adopted their various briefs on Tuesday, and the court fixed November 13 to deliver judgment in the substantive matter filed by the former governor.
It will be recalled that another judge of the same court, James Omotosho, had on October 31 issued similar orders stopping INEC from supervising or recognizing the outcome of the convention if conducted, on the grounds that due process was not followed in the way the convention was being planned.
Besides, Omotosho held that the PDP failed to issue the mandatory 21 days’ notice of meetings and congresses to enable INEC to carry out its mandatory duty of monitoring such meetings and congresses.
Justice Omotosho held that the failure of the PDP to comply with the law has put the planned convention in jeopardy and subsequently advised the PDP to do the necessary before going ahead with the election.
He therefore restrained INEC from receiving, publishing, or recognising the outcome of the convention slated for Ibadan until the law has been complied with.
