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Court Stops PDP Leadership From Sacking Damagum As Acting National Chairman
Court Stops PDP Leadership From Sacking Damagum As Acting National Chairman. The Federal High Court in Abuja has issued a restraining order against the National Executive Committee (NEC) and Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), prohibiting them from removing Umar Damagum as the Acting National Chairman of the party.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
The court’s decision was made on Friday, ensuring that Damagum remains the only recognized national chairman until the party’s national convention scheduled for December next year.
Justice Peter Lifu delivered the judgment in response to a suit filed by Senator Umar El-Gash Maina, asserting that any changes to the party’s leadership structure must adhere to the provisions outlined in the PDP Constitution.
In his ruling, Justice Lifu emphasized that according to Articles 42, 47, and 67 of the PDP Constitution, national officers can only be elected during the National Convention.
The case, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/579/2024, highlighted concerns raised by the plaintiff, who claimed that certain stakeholders within the PDP were clandestinely plotting to oust Damagum from his position.
Maina, who identifies himself as the Chairman of the PDP in Yobe State, alleged that there were efforts to install Dr. Phillip Omeiza Salawu, a former Deputy Governor of Kogi State, as Damagum’s replacement.
In his submission, Maina noted that he had previously sent two letters to the national secretary of the party, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, detailing his concerns about these covert meetings.
Despite receiving acknowledgment of the letters, he stated that neither the National Secretary nor BoT members took action on the issues raised.
The court found merit in Maina’s arguments, ruling that the chairmanship of the PDP should rotate between the northern and southern regions, strictly following the constitutional procedures established by the party.
Justice Lifu affirmed that any attempt to remove Damagum without the convening of a national convention or a court order would violate the party’s Constitution.
In his concluding remarks, Justice Lifu cautioned that any efforts to disrupt the remaining tenure of the northern leadership would be viewed as a significant breach of the PDP Constitution.
Earlier, the judge had dismissed the opposition of the defendants to the suit on the grounds that the plaintiff had no locus standi to bring out the case and that the court lacked jurisdiction.
Justice Lifu held that the plaintiff predicated his suit on the protection of the PDP Constitution from being violated and the northern region, where he hailed from, from being short-changed from the four-year tenure.
Justice Lifu said that the plaintiff, having displayed his PDP membership card before the court and having raised the fundamental issue of protection of PDP’s Constitution, had sufficient interest and justiciable cause to institute the case.
The judge, therefore, declared that the party’s Constitution binds PDP NEC and BoT and that Damagum as national chairman can only be replaced through the party’s national convention.
He also held that Damagum, having been appointed from the northern region where the former national chairman, Senator Iyorcha Ayu, hailed from, is entitled to serve out the remaining tenure of the national chairman.
The 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) began nationwide on Thursday, with over 2.2 million candidates expected to participate across accredited centres.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
The exam, conducted by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), will run from April 16 to April 22 in multiple daily sessions.
JAMB Registrar, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, urged examination officials to remain highly committed and professional, noting that the success of the exercise depends largely on their dedication.
He gave the charge during a virtual final briefing for technical officers ahead of the examination, where he also praised staff, ad hoc personnel, service providers, and technical advisers for their roles in the successful conduct of the mock exam.
Oloyede said many of the issues recorded during the mock exercise were due to poor assessment of centres by some technical officials.
He further stated that incentive packages would be awarded to teams that perform exceptionally, particularly in handling exam materials and submitting timely reports.
Reiterating JAMB’s zero-tolerance stance on malpractice, he warned candidates against bringing prohibited items into examination halls.
He also disclosed that biometric verification and real-time monitoring systems have been deployed to protect the integrity of the exercise.
Candidates whose biometrics cannot be verified, he added, will be rescheduled to write the exam at approved centres.
Meanwhile, a NAN correspondent monitoring proceedings at Aduvie International School, Jahi, reported that the first session scheduled for 8:30 a.m. began slightly behind schedule at about 8:40 a.m.
The Commissioner of Police for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), CP Ahmed Muhammed Sanusi, on Thursday inspected security deployments at Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres across Abuja.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
According to the FCT Police Command spokesperson, SP Josephine Adeh, the inspection is part of proactive measures to ensure a smooth, peaceful, and hitch-free conduct of the ongoing examinations.
The UTME is scheduled to run nationwide from April 16 to 18, 2026.
During the exercise, CP Sanusi assessed security arrangements put in place to safeguard candidates, examination officials, and CBT facilities.
He also engaged with centre supervisors, assuring them of adequate security presence throughout the examination period.
Adeh added that the CP reaffirmed the command’s commitment to maintaining law and order, warning that any attempt to disrupt the examinations would be met with decisive action in line with the law.
Over 700 former terrorists who have undergone deradicalisation and rehabilitation are set to be reintegrated into their communities.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
The Nigerian military has also dismissed reports alleging that beneficiaries of Operation Safe Corridor are being recruited into military institutions.
According to African Independent Television, the Coordinator of Operation Safe Corridor, Brigadier-General Yusuf Ali, made this known during a media tour of the Deradicalisation, Rehabilitation and Reintegration Centre in Gombe, North-East Nigeria.
He said many Nigerians still misunderstand the Federal Government’s structured counter-terrorism initiative, which is designed to restore peace in communities affected by insurgency.
Brigadier-General Ali explained that the programme focuses on rehabilitation and peaceful reintegration of repentant individuals into society.
During the tour, some of the participants also shared accounts of their involvement in offences that led to their admission into the programme.
The facility inspection was part of preparations for the graduation of over 700 clients who have completed the deradicalisation and rehabilitation process and are set for reintegration.
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