SAN warns PDP aspirants against buying factional nomination forms, saying Supreme Court ruling could trigger legal challenges over candidate legitimacy
A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Magaji Mato, has warned aspirants in the Peoples Democratic Party against purchasing nomination forms from rival factions, cautioning that such actions could trigger legal disputes following the Supreme Court’s judgment on the party’s leadership crisis.
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Mato gave the warning on Friday while speaking on Arise Television’s Morning Show, where he analysed the implications of the apex court ruling on the internal structure of the opposition party.
According to him, the Supreme Court judgment did not recognise any specific leadership faction within the Peoples Democratic Party, creating a legal grey area that could expose aspirants to future court challenges.
He explained that candidates who purchase nomination forms under any faction risk having their candidacy contested by rival groups or even other political parties after elections.
Mato said the ideal response after the court decision would have been for the party’s Board of Trustees to intervene and reconcile all factions before continuing with electoral preparations.
He, however, expressed doubt that reconciliation could be achieved before the deadline set by the Independent National Electoral Commission for submission of candidates.
The senior lawyer further warned that any faction operating independently under the party’s platform without clear judicial backing may struggle to defend its legitimacy in court.
He said, “If people are going to buy forms under a particular faction, it is their money, but definitely that will be challenged in court by the other faction.”
Mato added that unresolved internal disputes could eventually lead to post-election legal battles that may affect the validity of candidates presented by the party.
He stressed that political stakeholders should prioritise unity and legal clarity to avoid creating situations that could destabilise the party’s participation in future elections.
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The legal expert maintained that continued factional activities within the party could weaken its position and result in prolonged litigation after the elections.
