PDP Disowns Osun Election Petition, Cites Legal Adviser's Authority

• The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has disowned a governorship election petition, EPT/OS/GOV/02/2026, filed in its name before the Osun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal.
• PDP National Publicity Secretary Jungudo Mohammed confirmed the party neither authorized, sponsored, nor endorsed the suit challenging the August 15, 2026 election outcome.
• The party's National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade, SAN, who is constitutionally empowered to institute legal proceedings, did not authorize any lawyer to file the petition.
• The PDP has challenged lawyer Ochai Otokpa, purportedly responsible for the filing, to produce the authority or mandate upon which he acted.
• Separately, a motion was filed on Tuesday to withdraw another petition, EPT/Os/Gov/01/2026, which had been lodged by the APC governorship candidate and the APC.

The party unequivocally stated that it neither authorized, sponsored, nor endorsed the legal challenge, asserting that the suit does not represent its position on the election results.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), notably backed by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has publicly disowned a governorship election petition that was purportedly filed in its name. This significant development, announced by PDP National Publicity Secretary Jungudo Mohammed during a press briefing in Abuja on Wednesday, clarifies the party's official stance. The petition, identified as EPT/OS/GOV/02/2026, had challenged the outcome of the Osun State governorship election held on August 15, 2026.

The party unequivocally stated that it neither authorized, sponsored, nor endorsed the legal challenge, asserting that the suit does not represent its position on the election results. Mohammed emphasized that the proceedings were not initiated with the PDP's consent or approval, making it clear that the party considers the action to be entirely outside its mandate.

Central to the PDP's disavowal is the issue of proper legal authority within the party structure. According to Article 42 of the PDP Constitution, the National Legal Adviser is constitutionally empowered to institute and conduct legal proceedings on behalf of the party. In this instance, Kamaldeen Ajibade, SAN, who holds this crucial position, did not authorize or issue any instruction to any individual or lawyer to file the petition in question. This lack of official mandate forms the bedrock of the party's rejection of the suit.

Meanwhile, the Osun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal had, on Monday, posted notices of two separate petitions, signed by Tribunal Secretary Belemo Diete-Spiff. One of these, EPT/Os/Gov/01/2026, was filed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, and the APC itself, against Ademola Adeleke, the Accord Party, and the Independent National Electoral Commission. However, in a swift turn of events on Tuesday, counsel to the APC and its candidate, Seyi Oyagbile, filed a motion dated September 8, 2026, seeking to withdraw their petition from the tribunal's office in Osogbo.

The Peoples Democratic Party has directly challenged Ochai Otokpa, Esq., the lawyer allegedly responsible for filing the petition EPT/OS/GOV/02/2026 in the party's name. PDP National Publicity Secretary Jungudo Mohammed explicitly called upon Otokpa to produce the authority, instruction, or mandate upon which he relied to institute proceedings on behalf of the party. Mohammed reiterated that the petition was not commenced with the PDP's consent or approval and does not reflect the party’s official stance on the outcome of the Osun State governorship election.

The party has posed pointed questions, demanding to know who instructed and authorized the lawyer, and by what authority he purported to act in the PDP's name, asserting that both the party and the Nigerian public deserve clear answers to these legitimate inquiries. The PDP's firm disavowal underscores its position that the legal action was neither instituted nor authorized by its leadership.

This development serves as a critical reminder for legal practitioners to always verify the explicit authority and mandate of individuals instructing them to file legal proceedings on behalf of an organization, particularly where the organization's constitution or internal rules specify who holds such power. Failure to do so can result in the suit being disowned, raising questions of professional conduct and the validity of the action itself.

Source: Original reporting via The PUNCH