The Director of the Abuja School of Social and Political Thought, Dr Sam Amadi, has insisted that the recently held Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) convention remains valid and legally recognised, despite a flurry of conflicting court orders preceding the event.
Speaking during an interview with Arise News on Saturday, Amadi stated that the final court order issued before the convention expressly permitted it to hold, effectively rendering earlier contradictory injunctions null and void.
Amadi stated, “This convention has legalisation.
“If I recall, the latest decision that came in on Friday was in favour of the convention. So you can’t say it’s not legal.”
Amadi blamed the controversy on what he called the judiciary’s tendency to issue “contradictory and unnecessary” ex parte orders, which he said have worsened the PDP’s leadership crisis.
According to him, “Unfortunately, we have courts authorising and counter-authorising actions, and that is the real problem.”
He added that the situation reflects a growing trend of political actors rushing to secure favourable injunctions instead of allowing party procedures and institutions to function correctly.
The governance scholar criticised the Independent National Electoral Commission for allegedly abandoning its quasi-judicial responsibilities by always deferring matters to the courts.
Amadi noted that political parties are expected to submit their leadership documents to INEC, which should then verify and make preliminary determinations before the courts get involved.
He warned that INEC’s reluctance to assert this authority has contributed to the leadership blockade within the PDP.
Amadi also maintained that the party’s current Board of Trustees remains legitimate.
He said that the facts on record show that the BoT has been functioning for more than three years and cannot simply be dissolved or replaced at will.
He clarified that claims suggesting the Supreme Court forbids judicial intervention in party matters are misleading, explaining that the ruling only prevents courts from selecting party officials — not from determining whether parties are obeying their own constitutions.
Commenting on the recent expulsion of high-profile members such as Nyesom Wike and Ayodele Fayose, Amadi emphasised the need for strict adherence to due process.
However, he questioned the continued presence of party figures alleged to be working with rival political platforms, suggesting that internal discipline remains crucial to party cohesion.
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