Abuja court to rule on joinder application in Pantami-PDP suit

Former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday heard an application seeking to join Gombe State governorship aspirant, Usman Garry, in the suit instituted by Isa Pantami and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The judge, Peter Lifu, set Monday, 2 November, for a ruling on the joinder application and to consider the pending briefs.

Mr Garry’s counter-affidavit, oral application and formal motion for joinder are also expected to be heard and determined on the same day.

No party reportedly objected to the joinder application in Wednesday’s proceedings.

Arguing through his counsel, Eko Ejembe, SAN, Mr Garry raised concerns about the pendency of related cases before the Court of Appeal, Gombe Division, and the Federal High Court in Gombe. He challenged the repeat PDP governorship primary conducted on 29 September.

His counsel argued that the related proceedings before the two courts raise serious questions about possible abuse of court process, urging the Abuja court to consider the implications of the parallel cases when determining the issues before it.

Beyond the question of joinder, Mr Garry is also challenging Mr Pantami’s eligibility to participate in the PDP governorship primary and the party’s legal capacity to nominate him as its candidate.

A central issue in Mr Garry’s challenge is the alleged failure of Mr Pantami to meet the applicable membership registration requirements.

Mr Garry contends that Mr Pantami joined the PDP several days after the May 10 deadline for the submission of party membership registers to INEC, raising questions about whether he could validly participate in the party’s governorship primary and subsequently emerge as its candidate.

The challenge raises questions about the interpretation and application of the relevant provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 on party membership registers and candidate eligibility among the issues Mr Garry seeks to bring before the court.

The dispute follows the 24 September judgement of the Federal High Court in Gombe, which, according to Mr Garry, nullified the process that produced Mr Pantami as the PDP governorship candidate and ordered the party to conduct fresh primaries.

The repeat primary was subsequently held on 29 September, with Mr Garry contesting the process and challenging Mr Pantami’s participation.

Mr Garry maintains that the legal questions surrounding the repeat primary, Mr Pantami’s eligibility and the party’s nomination process require judicial determination.

The issues remain subject to the proceedings before the competent courts.

The application for joinder seeks to secure Mr Garry’s formal participation in the Abuja suit, where the court’s eventual decisions could affect the ongoing legal contest over the PDP’s Gombe State governorship nomination.

The court is expected to resume proceedings on Monday, when Justice Lifu is scheduled to rule on the joinder application and address the other pending matters.