A senior lawyer has warned would‑be candidates against buying Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) nomination forms from any of the party’s rival factions, saying their tickets could be challenged in court after the Supreme Court’s recent ruling on the party’s leadership dispute.
Speaking on Arise Television’s Morning Show, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Magaji Mato cautioned that the apex court’s judgment does not recognise any single faction as the legitimate leadership of the PDP. Because the decision leaves the party’s internal hierarchy unresolved, candidates who obtain nomination forms from a particular group are doing so “at their own risk,” he said. Their candidacy could be contested not only by opposing PDP factions but also by other political parties that may question the legality of the tickets.
Mato argued that the appropriate response to the Supreme Court ruling would have been for the PDP Board of Trustees to bring together all aggrieved factions and broker a reconciliation before proceeding with any electoral activities. The board, he noted, should have acted as a neutral platform to resolve the impasse and restore a unified leadership structure.
However, Mato expressed doubt that such a reconciliation can be achieved before the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) deadline for submitting candidates’ names. “Given the time pressure, I do not see the possibility of the factions coming together and fielding candidates who can contest the election without legal disruption,” he said.
He added that any group operating under the PDP banner without further judicial endorsement would likely be forced to defend its legitimacy in court. “If a faction claims ownership of the party without a supporting judgment, the Supreme Court’s ruling effectively leaves them without legal standing,” Mato explained.
The lawyer’s remarks come amid a broader crisis within the PDP, where rival groups have been vying for control of the party’s national executive. The Supreme Court’s decision, while clarifying that no single faction holds exclusive authority, has not provided a mechanism for reconciling the competing claims. As a result, potential aspirants face uncertainty over the validity of their nominations and the risk of costly litigation.
Political observers note that the warning may discourage some aspirants from purchasing forms outright, potentially prompting a slowdown in the PDP’s candidate filing process. Others argue that the party’s internal disputes could spill over into the broader electoral landscape, affecting party cohesion and voters’ confidence.
The next critical step will be whether the PDP’s Board of Trustees can convene a meeting of the warring factions and reach a consensus before INEC’s submission deadline. Failure to do so could see multiple court cases contesting the legitimacy of the party’s candidates, with possible ramifications for the upcoming electoral cycle.
