Dr. Sam Amadi, Director of the Abuja School of Social and Political Thought, has maintained that the recently concluded Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) convention is legally valid, despite a series of conflicting court orders issued before the event.
Speaking to Arise News on Saturday, Amadi said the final court ruling issued prior to the convention explicitly authorized it to proceed, effectively nullifying any earlier contradictory injunctions.
He stated, “This convention is fully legal. If I recall correctly, the most recent decision on Friday upheld the convention, so there is no basis to claim otherwise.”
Amadi attributed the controversy to what he described as the judiciary’s tendency to issue “contradictory and unnecessary” ex parte orders, which, he argued, have exacerbated the PDP’s leadership challenges.
“Unfortunately, we have courts authorizing and counter-authorizing the same actions, and that is the core of the problem,” he added.
He noted that the situation reflects a broader trend in which political actors rush to secure favorable court injunctions instead of allowing party structures and processes to operate as intended.
The governance expert also criticized the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for allegedly neglecting its quasi-judicial responsibilities, claiming it frequently defers to the courts rather than making preliminary determinations.
Amadi explained that political parties are supposed to submit leadership documents to INEC, which should verify them and provide initial rulings before legal interventions occur.
He warned that INEC’s hesitance to assert this authority has contributed to the leadership deadlock within the PDP.
Amadi further emphasized that the party’s current Board of Trustees (BoT) remains legitimate.
“The record shows that the BoT has been functioning for over three years and cannot simply be dissolved or replaced at will,” he said.
He clarified that assertions claiming the Supreme Court prohibits judicial review in party affairs are misleading, noting that the ruling only restricts courts from appointing party officials—not from assessing whether parties are following their constitutions.
Addressing the recent expulsion of high-profile members such as Nyesom Wike and Ayodele Fayose, Amadi stressed the importance of strict compliance with due process.
At the same time, he raised concerns about the continued presence of party figures allegedly collaborating with rival political platforms, underscoring that maintaining internal discipline is essential for party unity.
