PDP Seeks Court Order to Hold NEC Meeting Amid Crisis with Acting Chairman Damagum

A faction of the party led by Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed has taken legal action to ensure the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting proceeds as scheduled. The group has filed an application at the Zamfara High Court, seeking an ex-parte order to hold the NEC meeting on October 24, 2024, at the PDP’s National Secretariat in Abuja.

This legal move comes despite an earlier ruling by the Federal High Court in Abuja, which barred the removal of the PDP’s acting national chairman, Umar Damagum. The faction’s court filing aims to block any delay of the NEC meeting and prevent any conflicting NEC gatherings from being recognized as the 99th official meeting of the party.

The plaintiffs are also requesting an interlocutory injunction to prevent the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) and other officials from acknowledging Ali Odefa, the suspended National Vice Chairman for the South East Zone, as a member or officer of the party during the legal proceedings.

In their argument, the faction emphasizes that the constitution of the PDP does not grant the party’s National Secretary the authority to discipline national officers. They assert that they are legitimate members of the party and that the NWC has a crucial role in its day-to-day administration.

The court has not yet set a date for the hearing, but the outcome could have a significant impact on the internal dynamics of the PDP as it navigates these legal challenges.

This development underscores the deepening divisions within the party’s leadership, with multiple factions vying for control ahead of critical party meetings.