The Federal High Court in Abuja has issued an order preventing the National Executive Committee (NEC) and Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from removing Ambassador Ilya Damagum as the Acting National Chairman. The court ruled that no other individual should be recognized as the PDP National Chairman until the party's national convention, scheduled for December next year.
Justice Peter Lifu delivered the judgment in response to a lawsuit filed by Senator Umar El-Gash Maina, who argued that there were efforts within the party to unlawfully remove Damagum. The judge emphasized that, according to the PDP’s constitution, national officers can only be elected at the party’s national convention, citing Articles 42, 47, and 67.
Maina, who serves as the PDP Chairman in Yobe State, alleged that some party stakeholders were holding secret meetings to force Damagum's removal, intending to replace him with former Kogi State Deputy Governor Dr. Phillip Omeiza Salawu. Maina further stated that despite submitting complaints to the party's national secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, no action had been taken.
In the suit, Maina requested the court to uphold the party's constitution and prevent any attempt to replace Damagum before the national convention. He also argued that the chairmanship of the PDP is traditionally rotated between the northern and southern regions.
Justice Lifu, after reviewing the party’s constitution and evidence presented, agreed with the plaintiff, stating that Damagum could only be replaced at the national convention or by court order. The judge also ruled that any move to end the northern region's leadership tenure prematurely would violate the PDP's constitution.
The court dismissed the defendants' argument that the plaintiff lacked the legal standing to file the suit and ruled that Maina had sufficient interest in protecting the PDP’s constitution and the northern region's leadership term.
Justice Lifu concluded that Damagum, who was appointed following the resignation of former National Chairman Senator Iyorchia Ayu, is entitled to serve the remainder of the four-year term allocated to the northern region.
