Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja declared on Friday that Umar Damagum remains the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
This ruling was delivered in a case marked FHC/ABJ/CS/579/2024, filed by Senator Umar Maina against the PDP’s National Executive Committee (NEC) and Board of Trustees (BoT), among others.
Senator Maina, who claims to be the PDP chairman in Yobe State, brought the case to court, alleging that some party stakeholders were secretly plotting to forcefully remove Damagum in violation of the party’s constitution
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According to Maina, former Kogi State Deputy Governor Phillip Salawu was to be presented as Damagum’s replacement.
He revealed that he had written two letters to the PDP National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, complaining about the secret meetings, but no action had been taken.
Maina’s lawyer, Joshua Musa (SAN), urged the court to enforce articles 45, 47, and 67 of the PDP constitution, asserting that the party’s chairmanship should rotate between the northern and southern regions, not through any other means.
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The plaintiff asked the court to prevent Damagum’s removal, maintaining that he could only be replaced at the PDP’s national convention or by court order.
Justice Lifu, after reviewing the PDP’s constitution and the evidence presented, ruled in favor of the plaintiff. He confirmed that Damagum could only be replaced at the national convention or by a judicial decision.
The court barred the PDP NEC and BoT from removing Damagum as chairman and held that officers must be elected in accordance with the party’s constitution at the national convention.
The judge also rejected the defendants’ objections, stating that the plaintiff had sufficient standing to bring the case, as his suit was aimed at protecting the PDP constitution and ensuring that the northern region, from which Damagum hails, serves out its rightful four-year term.
Justice Lifu concluded that the PDP must adhere to its constitution and declared that Damagum must remain as national chairman until the party’s convention, scheduled for December next year.
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