The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has alleged bias on the part of an Abuja Federal High Court after its case contesting the police obstruction of the party’s national headquarters was dismissed.
The PDP states that the court’s choice to dismiss the case, even after it was officially withdrawn according to court regulations, heightens its worries regarding judicial neutrality.
In a statement released on Friday by its National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, the party said, “Prior to this lawsuit, we had previously contacted the Chief Judge expressing concerns about the clear bias of three out of the 12 judges at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
“In that letter, we thoroughly conveyed our skepticism and total mistrust in their ability to impartially administer justice in cases involving the PDP.
“When we appeared in the matter, we filed a motion for recusal, asking that Justice Joyce Abdulmalik recuse herself from the matter and return the file to the Chief Judge for reassignment.
“Rather than do the needful, which is to take the motion and rule on it, the judge ruled that she would manage the case in a way convenient for her—taking all motions (including the motion for recusal) alongside the hearing of the case and, at the point of judgment, giving her ruling on the motion for recusal before the judgment.
“This, in our view, defeats fair hearing, as we have indicated our complete loss of trust in her ability to be fair in the matter or any other matter concerning the PDP.
“To this end, we filed a notice of discontinuance as provided for in Order 50 Rule 2(1) of the Federal High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules 2019, which entitles a plaintiff to withdraw a suit without the leave of the court within 14 days of the receipt of the last defendant’s statement of defense.
“It is on record that we filed the notice of discontinuance three days after the statement of defense of the last defendant was filed and served, therefore being securely within the provisions of the rules.”
The party stated that when the issue came up on Friday, its counsel advised the court of its decision to withdraw the matter, citing the applicable procedures.
However, according to the PDP, the judge rejected the lawsuit rather than striking it out.
“This again exacerbates our party’s subsisting fear about the impartiality of the court,” it added.
The opposition party echoed Justice Niki Tobi’s warning, encouraging Nigerian courts to maintain a distinct boundary from politics and politicians.
On November 16, PDP governors ratified the Ibadan convention, where Taminu Turaki, SAN, and other members of the National Working Committee were chosen for four years.
However, Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, and his supporters Mohammed Abdulrahman and Samuel Anyanwu kept their positions as Acting National Chairman and Acting National Secretary, respectively.
Despite the governors’ efforts to ensure a smooth transition from former Chairman Umar Damagum to Turaki before Damagum’s term expired on December 9, the Wike-aligned faction formed a 13-member caretaker committee on December 8, appointing Mohammed, Anyanwu, and others to a 60-day mandate.
As a result, attempts by both groups to seize control of the PDP National Headquarters at Wadata Plaza in Abuja turned violent, prompting police to lock down the party’s headquarters and another office in Maitama in November.
The Turaki-led National Working Committee filed a complaint in Abuja’s Federal High Court in an attempt to resolve the dispute and seize control of the Secretariat.
On Friday, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik dismissed the lawsuit after the plaintiffs’ lawyer, Chief Chris Uche, SAN, moved to withdraw the claim and urged the court to strike it out. However, the judge dismissed the case on the basis that the issues had already been joined.
In the complaint FHC/ABJ/CS/2520/2025, the plaintiffs—PDP, Turaki, and National Secretary Taofeek Arapaja—named the Inspector-General of Police and the Nigeria Police Force as first and second defendants, respectively.
They requested, among other things, an order directing the police to remove the party’s national secretariat in Wadata Plaza, Wuse, Abuja.
![Rev. Fr. Anthony Odiong, a US-based Nigerian Louisiana Catholic priest, was arrested in Florida on Tuesday for possessing child pornography, according to law authorities. The suspect is reportedly accused of many other cases of sexual assault. The Waco, Texas, Police Department announced in a Facebook post on Tuesday that officers detained Father Anthony Odiong in Ave Maria, Florida, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. Waco police announced in March that they had received "credible information" about a sexual assault allegedly committed by Odiong in Texas in 2012. “During the subsequent investigation, a case of possession of child pornography was uncovered,” the police said. The priest was apprehended in Florida by the Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force. The Waco Police Department said that he will be extradited to Texas. Odiong had previously served in the Archdiocese of New Orleans before being removed as priest in December of last year due to controversy over homilies in which he claimed, among other things, that the Catholic Church was being taken over by "the gays." At the time, the priest was also accused of abusive behaviour; a Louisiana lady claimed in U.S. bankruptcy court that Odiong had committed both financial and sexual abuse against her. Prior to joining the New Orleans Archdiocese, Odiong served in at least two Texas parishes. On Tuesday, Waco police stated that during their sexual assault investigation, "the presence of other survivors was revealed." “Multiple women have come forward to tell similar experiences as the sexual assault survivor who reported the initial allegation,” the police department said. “Survivors’ experiences ranged from sexual assault and indecent assault, more commonly recognised as groping, and financial abuse, with some survivors experiencing every element of Anthony Odiong’s manipulation.” The police said they “believe there may be more survivors, and we wish to speak with anyone who [has] had similar encounters” with the priest. The Archdiocese of New Orleans issued a brief news release on Tuesday noting Odiong's arrest in Florida. The archdiocese “encourages anyone with any information to contact law enforcement,” the release said.](https://chronicle.ng/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/ezgif-6-4730550ede-450x300.jpg "Odiong: US-based Nigerian Catholic priest convicted over sexual assault")
