The ongoing political turmoil within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has escalated into a judicial challenge, as a faction aligned with the Wike bloc formally petitioned the National Judicial Council (NJC) against Honourable Justice A.L. Akintola of the Oyo State High Court.
The petition, submitted on November 5, 2025, and acknowledged by the Office of the Chief Justice of Nigeria the following day, was brought by three key party stakeholders: Hon. Austine Nwachukwu, Hon. Amah Abraham Nnanna, and Turnah Alabh George.
The petitioners are accusing Justice Akintola of “judicial recklessness, impunity, and flagrant violation of established legal processes,” alleging that the judge’s actions directly undermined a superior court’s authority.
Hon. Austine Nwachukwu, the embattled PDP chairman in Imo State, addressed reporters in Abuja alongside his Abia State counterpart, Hon. Amah Abraham Nnanna. Nwachukwu explained that the core of the grievance lies with an ex parte order issued by Justice Akintola on November 4, 2025. This order authorized the PDP to proceed with its National Convention in Ibadan on November 15 and 16, 2025.
According to the petitioners, this authorization directly contravened an existing, subsisting judgment from the Federal High Court in Abuja (Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/2120/2025) delivered just four days earlier, which had explicitly barred the PDP from holding the convention on those specific dates. They contended that the judge’s ruling amounted to illegally sitting on appeal over a court of coordinate jurisdiction.
“This disturbing development not only threatens the integrity of the Nigerian judiciary but also risks setting a dangerous precedent capable of eroding public confidence in the justice system,” Nwachukwu stated during the briefing.
The PDP chieftains urged the NJC to intervene promptly and decisively, arguing that failure to address the matter would only empower judicial officers who choose to disregard due process.
They collectively stressed the urgent need for institutional accountability: “The NJC must reaffirm its commitment to discipline, impartiality, and the preservation of judicial integrity by ensuring that errant judicial officers are held accountable without delay,” they stated.
Nwachukwu reminded the NJC of its past actions in similar judicial disputes: “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. The NJC’s prompt and transparent action on this petition will go a long way in restoring faith in the judiciary and reinforcing the principle that no one, no matter how highly placed, is above the law.”
Meanwhile, efforts to reach Hon. Debo Ologunagba, the PDP National Publicity Secretary aligned with the Governor Seyi Makinde-led faction—which maintains that the convention should proceed—were unsuccessful, as he did not return calls seeking comment.
