•Why PDP narrows the looming lawsuit to Delta
A storm is brewing in Nigerian politics, shaking up loyalties and power like never before. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is on edge after losing key members, including Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, to the rival All Progressives Congress (APC).
Now, the PDP is fighting back. After a tense six-hour meeting in Abuja, party leaders decided to take the battle to court.
Their goal? To reclaim what they call “stolen” political positions. They believe these positions were won under the PDP and shouldn’t be taken to another party without consequences.
But this move is raising serious questions: Can a political party really claim ownership of a mandate that came from the people’s votes? And if so, will the courts agree? As the PDP prepares to test this theory in court, Nigerians are watching closely.
This legal fight could either revive the PDP or tear it apart even more. And at the center of it all is one big question: Who truly holds the power—the party or the people?
Penultimate Tuesday in Abuja, the PDP’s National Working Committee (NWC) convened behind closed doors, the atmosphere charged with urgency.
A wave of defections, most notably in Delta State, had rattled the party’s foundations.
Governor Sheriff Oborevwori’s dramatic defection to the APC had dealt a severe blow, threatening the PDP’s grip on a politically crucial region.
The NWC responded swiftly, opting for legal redress to reclaim the seats of defectors.
To stabilise the party in Delta, Mr Emma Ogidi, the South-South Zonal Chairman, is appointed to oversee affairs.
Meanwhile, National Legal Adviser Kamaldeen Ajibade is instructed to prepare the case — portrayed not merely as legal action, but as a fight for the party’s survival.
Delta is seen as the last line of defence against further erosion of influence.
As the lawsuit remained unfiled at the weekend, leaving the public in suspense, the number of PDP members across the country, especially lawmakers, continued to climb.
The development has inevitably led to the question as to whether Nigeria was heading to a one-party state.
No fewer than three members of the House of Representatives from Katsina State dumped the PDP for the APC on Thursday.
The defections have shot the number of the House of Representatives members who left the party that brought them to parliament since 2023 to 19.
And before the Thursday defections, all the 22 members of the PDP in Delta State House of Assembly formally left their party for the APC while in Edo, the Speaker of the state House of Assembly and another member also decamped to the APC.
Recall that it was the looming defections of the Delta lawmakers that prompted the PDP to threaten lawsuit to reclaim its mandate.
In total, 82 lawmakers, federal and state, and mostly PDP members, have defected since 2023.
The breakdown is as follows: Senators 4, Reps 19, Delta 22, Rivers 26, Edo 7 and Abia 4.
Senators who have dumped their parties for the APC are Francis Ezenwa (Labour Party, Imo East), Ned Nwoko (PDP, Delta North) and Summaila Kawu (NNPP, Kano South).
The first senator to defect to the APC was the late Senator Ifeanyi Ubah of then-Young Progressive Party, YPP, representing Anambra South, on October 12, 2023.
For the House of Representatives, PDP members who defected to the APC include Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu (Delta), Husseini Jallo (Kaduna), Adamu Tanko (Niger), Christian Nkwonta (Abia), Salisu Koko (Kebbi), Amos Magaji (Kaduna), Wole Oke (Osun) and Abubakar Gumi (Kano).
Others are Salisu Yusuf Majigiri (Katsina), Aliyu Iliyasu Ruma (Katsina) and Abdullahi Balarabe Dabai (Katsina).
Also on the list of defectors are Victor Nwokolo, Julius Pondi, Thomas Ereyitomi, Nicholas Mutu, Okodiko Jonathan and Nnamdi Ezechi, all from Delta State.
Their counterparts who dumped Labour Party for the APC are Tochukwu Okere (Imo), Donatus Mathew (Kaduna), Bassey Akiba (Cross River), Iyawe Esosa (Edo), Daulyop Fom (Plateau), and Fom Daniel Chollom (Plateau).
For state lawmakers, 26 members of Rivers State House of Assembly are battling in court to retain their seats after decamping from the PDP to APC.
In Abia, four of the eight PDP members of the House of Assembly who were inaugurated in June 2023 defected to the ruling Labour Party in the state and no one is sure that the rest would remain in the party.
Similarly, seven of the 14 PDP lawmakers in Edo House of Assembly moved to the ruling APC in the state under the guise that there was crisis in their party and that their action would allow them to collaborate with Governor Okpebholo to develop Edo.
Crossroads
Sunday Vanguard investigation paints a picture of a party at a crossroads. The defections have exposed deep vulnerabilities, and the planned legal strategy is a high-stakes gamble.
A victory in court could restore the PDP’s authority; failure may encourage further defections. The stage is set for a confrontation that will test both Nigeria’s constitutional framework and the PDP’s resilience. Whispers within the party suggest internal doubts. Is this legal offensive a masterstroke or a desperate act? The answer may well define the PDP’s future.
Battle Lines Form
The PDP’s legal strategy is anchored on Section 68 (1) (g) of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution as amended, which stipulates that elected officials who defect from their sponsoring party must relinquish their seats unless the party is shown to be divided.
While this provision has traditionally applied to lawmakers, invoking it against a sitting governor remains untested, raising significant legal questions.
Delta remains the focal point, being among the hardest hit for the PDP.
Ajibade’s legal team operates in secrecy; no timeline has been revealed, and no Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) have been named. The strategy appears calculated but narrow in scope.
So far, it excludes defectors from other states and tiers of government. Meanwhile, the defectors stand their ground, projecting confidence, as the APC celebrates its strategic gains.
Uncertain Legal Path
The pending lawsuit fuels anticipation. With national attention focused on the PDP’s next move, the party is staking its credibility on an uncertain legal path. Should the case proceed, it may set a precedent, but the unpredictable nature of Nigerian courts looms large as the country braces for a legal battle that could redefine the boundaries of party loyalty and electoral mandates.
Voices of Conflict
Tension mounts as the PDP edges closer to finalising its legal response. A court case could shake Nigeria’s political landscape, testing the limits of the Constitution.
The PDP maintains that defectors have stolen mandates meant for the party, while the defectors prepare robust legal defences to retain their positions.
With Delta and perhaps the country at stake, all eyes turn to the judiciary. Party voices are growing louder.
PDP National Chairman Ambassador Umar Iliya Damagum declared: “I’ve said before – neither the party, the governor, nor our vice presidential candidate has betrayed the party. “The party did nothing wrong. Rather, those who left did so of their own volition, and we regret and feel deeply pained by their departure.”
He, however, continued: “We’ve instructed the National Legal Adviser to reclaim the mandates that were taken from us. “The party’s fortunes must not be left in the hands of our adversaries.”
A member of the NWC, speaking anonymously to Sunday Vanguard due to lack of authorisation, clarified: “We’re focused on reclaiming our mandate. “We intend to seek court declarations that the defectors’ seats be vacated, based on constitutional provisions. “So far, our efforts are limited to Delta. There’s no concrete plan yet to pursue similar actions elsewhere.”
Pressed on specifics, he added:
“The decision was made only on Tuesday. Thursday was a public holiday. Today is Friday, and we’ve not reconvened. We expect further briefings at the next meeting.”
However, constitutional lawyer and party member, Dr Tunji Abayomi, offered a word of caution: “The law is more straightforward when it comes to legislators.
“Governors’ mandates are widely interpreted as belonging to the electorate. While the PDP’s legal move is bold, the courts may be reluctant to remove a sitting governor.”
Political analyst, Dr Chidi Nwaobia, on his part, said: “The PDP is placing its future on the line. A legal win could breathe new life into the party; a loss might accelerate its decline. They may be fighting a losing battle.”
Ripples of Ambition
Though the lawsuit remains unfiled at the time of writing this report, the PDP’s stance is reverberating through the political landscape. Defectors remain in place for now, but the threat of legal action hangs in the air. The party’s hardline posture has energised its base but also exposed internal strain and resource limits. Focusing exclusively on Delta suggests a calculated approach, but the absence of specifics continues to fuel uncertainty.
The unresolved case keeps the political climate tense. Reactions are mixed: some applaud the PDP’s resolve, others criticise it as a distraction from Nigeria’s pressing economic and security challenges.
The defectors, undeterred, stand firm. The APC watches closely, alert for further vulnerabilities. The nation braces for a protracted contest that may stretch the PDP’s resolve to its limits.
An Uncertain Path
Though yet to be filed, the PDP’s legal offensive has already made an impact. The party’s determination signals defiance, but it comes at a cost: internal pressure, dwindling resources, and uncertain unity.
Emma Ogidi’s appointment offers a glimmer of hope in Delta, but party recovery remains a distant goal. The defectors, for now, retain their legitimacy.
Nigeria is left grappling with a fundamental democratic question: who truly owns the political mandate?
As the nation awaits the PDP’s next move, will this legal war forge a stronger party or unravel its legacy? Ultimately, the courts, and time will decide. (Vanguard)
