The ongoing crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) escalated on Monday as loyalists of FCT Minister Nyesom Wike petitioned the National Judicial Council (NJC), alleging judicial misconduct against Justice A.L. Akintola of the Oyo State High Court.
The petition, dated November 5, 2025, and acknowledged by the Office of the Chief Justice of Nigeria on November 6, 2025, was submitted by Hon. Austine Nwachukwu, Hon. Amah Abraham Nnanna, and Turnah Alabh George, who had previously approached the Umar Damagum-led National Working Committee (NWC) in a bid to halt the PDP convention.
According to the petitioners, Justice Akintola acted recklessly and with impunity when he issued an ex parte order on November 4, 2025, authorizing the PDP National Convention in Ibadan for November 15–16, 2025.
The order, they argued, contradicted a subsisting judgment of the Federal High Court in Abuja (Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/2120/2025) delivered on October 31, 2025, which had expressly restrained the party from holding the convention on those dates.
“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,” said Nwachukwu.
The PDP members accused Justice Akintola of sitting on appeal over a judgment of a court of coordinate jurisdiction, describing his actions as a serious breach of judicial order and a threat to the rule of law.
The petitioners called on the NJC to act swiftly and decisively, warning that any delay could embolden judicial officers who disregard due process.
They urged the council to reaffirm its commitment to discipline, impartiality, and judicial integrity by holding errant judges accountable.
“The Nigerian judiciary must remain the last hope of the common man and not a tool for political expediency. Prompt and transparent action by the NJC will restore faith in the judiciary and reinforce the principle that no one, no matter how highly placed, is above the law,” Nwachukwu added.
They cited previous instances in Rivers, Imo, and other states, where the NJC had acted swiftly in cases of judicial misconduct, and urged the council to maintain the same standard in this matter.
