As the crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) continues, the faction loyal to the Nyesom Wike/ Samuel Anyanwu has written a petition to the National Judicial Council (NJC), calling for disciplinary action against Justice AL Akintola of the Ibadan High Court, over judgement allowing PDP to hold the scheduled Ibadan elective convention.
The petition, dated November 5, 2025, and marked received by the Office of the Chief Justice of Nigeria on November 6, 2025, was submitted by Austine Nwachukwu, Amah Abraham Nnanna, and Turnah George on behalf of the themselves as critical stakeholders of PDP.
The Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan, had on Monday, November 10, 2025 sustained its earlier Order clearing the PDP to go ahead with its National Convention as scheduled on Saturday 15th and Sunday 16th November, 2025 in Ibadan, the Oyo State Capital.
The Court presided over by Justice A.L Akintola at its resumed hearing on Monday, sustained the order directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to attend, monitor and or observe the Elective National Convention of the PDP as scheduled, pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice.
The Court also sustained its Order to the PDP National Working Committee, National Executive Committee and the National Convention Organizing Committee to ensure the conduct of the National Convention as scheduled.
The ruling cleared the coast for the PDP to conduct its Elective National Convention on Saturday to elect new National Officers to pilot the affairs of the party for the next four years.
This ruling however contradicts the earlier position of the Federal High Court Abuja, which stopped the convention and the current appeal pending at the Appeal Court Abuja, which seeks further clarification of the judgement
Following the latest ruling, the petitioners raised serious concerns over what they described as “acts of judicial recklessness, impunity, and flagrant violation of established legal processes by Justice Akintola, particularly in his decision to issue an ex parte order on November 4th, permitting the conduct of the PDP National Convention in Ibadan on November 15 and 16, 2025.
This order, according to the petitioners, “directly contradicts a valid and subsisting judgment of the Federal High Court, Abuja delivered on 31st of October 2025 (Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/2120/2025), which had expressly restrained the PDP from holding its convention on the same dates”
The petitioners also contend ” that Justice Akintola’s action amounts to sitting on appeal over a judgment of a court of coordinate jurisdiction”, according to them, ” an act that undermines judicial hierarchy and the sanctity of 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.
“We therefore call on the National Judicial Council (NJC) to urgently investigate this matter and take decisive action, just as it had done in similar cases involving judicial misconduct in Rivers State, Imo State, and other jurisdictions, where they were seen to have acted promptly as soon as the petitions were received by them”
The petitioners called on the NJC to ” reaffirm its commitment to discipline, impartiality, and the preservation of judicial integrity by ensuring that errant judicial officers are held accountable without delay.”
They also noted that 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.
