Judgment in the suit filed by former Governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido, was on Thursday stalled at the Federal High Court, Abuja.
Lamido is challenging his exclusion from contesting the chairmanship position in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s national convention.
The judgment, earlier fixed for Thursday by Justice Peter Lifu, could not be delivered.
The court registrar informed lawyers and litigants, including the former governor, that the judgment was not ready and that parties would be notified of the new date.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Justice Lifu had on Tuesday fixed the judgment date after counsel for Lamido, Jeph Njikonye, SAN; counsel for the PDP, Omokayode Dada, SAN; Joseph Daudu, SAN, representing the joined parties; and INEC’s lawyer adopted their processes and presented arguments for and against the suit.
Earlier on Tuesday, Justice Lifu had restrained the PDP from proceeding with its scheduled national convention pending the hearing and determination of Lamido’s substantive suit.
The judge also barred the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from monitoring, supervising, or recognising the outcome of the convention until the matter is decided.
Justice Lifu held that Lamido’s ex-parte motion was meritorious, noting that evidence before the court showed that the convention timetable was not duly published as required by law.
He added that the balance of convenience favoured Lamido, who would suffer greater harm if unlawfully excluded from the convention, hence the need to grant the preservative order.
The court had stood down the matter briefly to allow parties to regularise their processes before adopting their final arguments. The case was subsequently adjourned to November 13 for judgment, which is now pending.
