Chief Bode George, a former Deputy National Chairman (South) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has “strongly criticised the court ruling” which stopped the party’s planned national convention.
The ruling was delivered on Friday by Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja, who “restrained the PDP from holding its national convention scheduled for Nov. 15 and Nov. 16 in Ibadan.”
The judge issued the order following a suit that alleged the party “failed to comply with the 1999 Constitution, Independent National Electoral Commission guidelines, and its own constitution” during its preparations.
Justice Omotosho reportedly held that the PDP “did not conduct valid state congresses before planning to elect new national officers,” concluding that “such lapses undermined internal democracy.”
The order “effectively stalls preparations for the opposition party’s leadership renewal.”
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Reacting to the decision, George “described the judgment as shocking and dangerous for Nigeria’s democratic stability,” issuing a warning that it “could set a troubling precedent.”
He argued forcefully that political parties must be “allowed to manage their internal affairs without undue judicial interference, except in clear cases of constitutional breach.”
George did not hold back his condemnation of the judge, stating, “This judgment will consume this country. It is time the judge removed his wig and gown and joined politics.”
The PDP chieftain called on the Chief Justice of Nigeria and the National Judicial Council “to address what he termed an unjustifiable intervention capable of triggering disorder.”
He added a strong caution to the judiciary: “Judges are not politicians. Their duty is to interpret the law, not to meddle in party administration.”
George specifically “questioned the basis of the ruling,” insisting that INEC “monitored all PDP congresses nationwide and did not raise objections or report irregularities.”
He queried the court’s motivation, asking, “INEC is not complaining. The judge did not invite INEC officials. So why is he complaining? Does he have a political interest?”
He further noted that the PDP, “which has existed since 1998,” has a “long tradition of following due process in its internal operations.”
According to George, the decision “undermines party autonomy and risks weaponising the judiciary against political stability in Africa’s largest democracy.”
George stressed that resolving internal disputes “through established party mechanisms remains fundamental to democratic development.”
He urged PDP members “to remain calm and committed to lawful processes while pursuing legal remedies to overturn the ruling.”
The PDP is “expected to explore further legal options in the coming days.”
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