By Chika Eze, Abuja
A fresh controversy is brewing within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) following a petition filed before the Chief Justice of Nigeria and Chairman of the National Judicial Council (NJC) against Justice A.L. Akintola of the Oyo State High Court.
The petition, dated November 5, 2025, and received by the Office of the Chief Justice on November 6, 2025, was submitted by three PDP stakeholders, Austine Nwachukwu, Amah Abraham Nnanna, and Turnah Alabh George.
The trio, in the petition, accused Justice Akintola of acts of judicial recklessness, impunity, and disregard for due process, following his controversial ex parte order of November 4, 2025, which permitted the conduct of the PDP National Convention in Ibadan on November 15 and 16, 2025.
They described the ruling as a direct contradiction of an earlier and still subsisting judgment of the Federal High Court, Abuja, delivered on October 31, 2025 (Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/2120/2025), which had restrained the party from holding its convention on those same dates.
According to the petitioners, Justice Akintola’s decision amounted to sitting on appeal over a judgment of a court of coordinate jurisdiction, an act that not only violates the established judicial hierarchy but also threatens the sanctity of the rule of law.
They warned that such judicial overreach, if unchecked, could set a dangerous precedent capable of eroding public confidence in the justice system and undermining the credibility of the courts.
The petitioners further urged the National Judicial Council (NJC) to urgently investigate and sanction Justice Akintola in the same manner it acted in previous instances involving judges accused of misconduct in Rivers, Imo, and other states.
They maintained that the NJC must demonstrate its commitment to discipline, impartiality, and the preservation of judicial integrity by ensuring that errant judicial officers are held accountable without delay.
“The Nigerian judiciary must remain the last hope of the common man and not a tool in the hands of those seeking to subvert justice for political expediency,” they stated, stressing that the NJC’s swift and transparent action on the petition would help restore faith in the judiciary and reinforce the principle that no one is above the law.
The controversy adds a fresh twist to the internal legal battles currently rocking the PDP over the conduct of its forthcoming National Convention.
The party has been enmeshed in conflicting court orders from different jurisdictions, raising concerns about judicial consistency and political influence in the handling of intra-party affairs.