Title: PDP: Appeal Court Upholds Suspension of Anyanwu, Ajibade, others, Affirms Halt on Party Convention Date Published: 09 March 2026 Description: The Court of Appeal in Abuja has upheld the suspension of several national officers of the Peoples Democratic Party, including former National Secretary Samuel Anyanwu, National Legal Adviser Kamaldeen Ajibade, Deputy Legal Adviser Okechukwu Osuoha and National Organising Secretary Umaru Bature.The appellate court also affirmed the earlier judgment of the Federal High Court delivered by Justice James Omotosho, which upheld the disciplinary action taken against the party officials by the PDP’s National Working Committee.The officials were suspended by the party’s NWC on November 1, 2025 amid the lingering internal leadership crisis within the opposition party.In its ruling on Monday, the Court of Appeal further upheld the October 31, 2025 judgment of the Abuja Federal High Court which restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission from recognising the outcome of the PDP’s 2025 National Convention.The appellate court held that the earlier decision of the lower court was valid and must stand pending the resolution of the issues surrounding the party’s internal disputes.In a related judgment, the Court of Appeal also upheld the suspension of the planned national convention of the PDP until former Jigawa State governor Sule Lamido is given the opportunity to obtain the party’s nomination form to contest the national chairmanship position.The decision arose from an appeal filed by Chief Ali Odefa and another party member against Austine Nwachukwu and nine others.However, the appellate court ruled that the appeal filed by Odefa’s group, believed to be aligned with the political camp of Oyo State governor Seyi Makinde, was incompetent because the appellants lacked the legal standing to institute the case.The justices also held that Ali Odefa and Emmanuel Ogidi were not recognised officials of the PDP at the time they filed the appeal, thereby depriving them of the locus standi required to challenge the earlier ruling.Consequently, the court dismissed the appeal and imposed a fine of N2 million against the faction linked to the Makinde-backed Turaki group.The ruling effectively sustains the earlier order suspending the PDP national convention until Lamido is allowed to purchase the chairmanship nomination form and participate in the contest.The development is expected to further intensify the internal leadership struggle within the PDP as rival factions continue to jostle for control of the party ahead of its next national convention. Attached Images: 922375417ed77063f36754491667fe85d7b178dd447bd7b417d4fe48078b0e17.jpg Attached Video: None