Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja affirmed on Friday that Umar Damagum remains the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
This ruling came during the judgment of a suit designated FHC/ABJ/CS/579/2024, filed against the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) and Board of Trustees (BoT) by Senator Umar Maina.
Maina, claiming to be the PDP chairman in Yobe State, initiated the legal action, alleging that certain party stakeholders were conducting secret meetings aimed at forcibly removing Damagum from his position, which he argued violates the PDP Constitution.
He further alleged that a former Deputy Governor of Kogi State, Phillip Salawu, was being groomed as Damagum’s successor.
Maina asserted that upon discovering the purported plan, he submitted two separate letters to the party’s National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, expressing his concerns about the clandestine meetings.
Despite receiving acknowledgment of these letters, Maina contended that neither the National Secretary nor the BoT members had taken appropriate action.
Through his counsel, Joshua Musa (SAN), Maina urged the court to invoke Articles 45, 47, and 67 of the PDP Constitution to prevent any attempts to replace Damagum as the acting national chairman.
He specifically sought a declaration that the party chairmanship is to be rotated between the northern and southern regions, as dictated by the PDP’s Constitution.
In his ruling, Justice Lifu confirmed the plaintiff’s position, stating that Damagum can only be replaced at a national convention or through a court order.
The judge declared that Damagum must remain recognized as the PDP national chairman until the party’s national convention, scheduled for December of next year.
He also prohibited the PDP NEC and BoT from removing Damagum.
Justice Lifu emphasized that “in line with Articles 42, 47, and 67 of the PDP, officers can only be elected at the National Convention of the party.”
He added that party members are bound by the PDP Constitution and must act in accordance with its provisions.
The judge further stated that any attempt to terminate the remaining four-year tenure of the northern region without convening a national convention would constitute a violation of the PDP Constitution.
He dismissed the defendant’s objections to the case, stating that the plaintiff had the standing to bring the suit, which sought to protect the PDP Constitution from being breached.
Justice Lifu concluded that Damagum, having been appointed from the northern region where the former national chairman, Senator Iyorcha Ayu, also hailed from, is entitled to complete the remainder of the national chairmanship tenure.
He declared that the PDP NEC and BoT are bound by the party’s Constitution, reinforcing that Damagum can only be replaced through a national convention.
