The Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday postponed further hearings in the suit challenging the validity of the recent Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Convention held in Ibadan. Proceedings have been rescheduled to January 14, 2026.
On the same day, a faction led by Kabiru Turaki, SAN, filed a motion requesting Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, who is presiding over the case, to recuse herself.
In a petition submitted by seven Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs), led by Chief Chris Uche, former PDP National Chairman Ambassador Umar Damagum, and other party officers elected at the disputed convention, the judge was accused of bias.
They argued, “There is a reasonable apprehension of bias against the defendants in how Justice Abdulmalik has handled the case.”
Despite earlier rejecting an ex parte motion filed by the Wike-aligned faction, the judge barred them from acting on behalf of the party.
The petitioners stressed that the right to a fair hearing, guaranteed under Section 36(1) of Nigeria’s Constitution, includes an impartial tribunal.
They also stated they formally petitioned the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court to prevent cases involving PDP internal disputes from being assigned to Justice Abdulmalik and two other judges in Abuja, due to perceived partisanship and past conduct.
However, their objections were ignored, and the matter was assigned to Justice Abdulmalik, prompting a second letter requesting the case be reassigned.
The petition highlighted that despite these objections, the judge proceeded with the suit, creating a legitimate fear that the defendants may not get a fair trial.
They noted that the suit, filed on November 21, 2025, quickly ended up before Justice Abdulmalik, who on November 25 made ex parte orders against the defendants using a format suspiciously similar to that employed by another judge in related cases.
The petitioners described the case as an internal party dispute over the PDP National Convention.
They criticised the ex parte orders, stating they addressed the suit’s main issues prematurely and after the court received their protest letters.
The petitioners insisted judicial proceedings must not only be fair but also appear so.
They argued the test for bias is whether a reasonable person, knowing all facts, would fear injustice from the court.
They concluded that continued involvement of Justice Abdulmalik risks compromising justice and that reassignment would preserve the court’s integrity.
The court ruled that the recusal motion was premature, as some parties had not yet been served, and adjourned the case until next year.
The substantive suit (FHC/ABJ/CS/2501/2025) was brought by the Acting National Chairman and National Secretary of the Wike faction, Mohammed Abdulrahman and Senator Samuel Anyanwu.
Besides Damagum and the elected officials from Ibadan, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Inspector General of Police, the Commissioner of Police, and the State Security Service (SSS) are named as defendants.
The plaintiffs seek an injunction to stop the Ibadan-elected defendants from presenting themselves as party officers or representatives and to prevent INEC from recognising them.
They also request an order barring the defendants from entering PDP’s national headquarters and ask INEC to recognise only the Wadata Plaza office as the party’s official address.
Additionally, they seek a mandatory injunction directing security agencies to protect the party offices in Wadata Plaza and Legacy House, Abuja.
A counter suit filed by the PDP, its National Chairman, Turaki, SAN, and National Secretary, Taofeek Arapaja (FHC/ABJ/CS/2520/2025) was also adjourned to January 16.
The counter plaintiffs ask the court to order the police to vacate the PDP national headquarters to allow them access to their offices at Wadata Plaza, Abuja.
