PDP Petitions FCT Chief Judge Over “Suspicious” Case Assignments

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has formally petitioned the Chief Judge of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Justice Hussein Baba-Yusuf, raising concerns over what it described as the “unusual, repeated and suspicious” assignment of almost all its cases to a select group of judges.

Signed by the PDP National Secretary, Amb. Taofeek Arapaja, and dated November 19, 2025, the petition questions why matters involving the party’s internal disputes and political processes are consistently routed to Justice James Kolawole Omotosho, Justice Chijioke Nnamdi Odo-Lifu, and Justice Mohammed Abdulmalik, despite the presence of numerous other judges in the FCT judiciary. The party argued that the pattern was too frequent to be coincidental.

“My Lord, we are compelled to bring to your notice the growing concern within our party that virtually all cases relating to the Peoples Democratic Party are being assigned to only three judges,” the petition reads. “This trend offends the principle of fair hearing, raises legitimate suspicion, and creates the perception that judicial outcomes may be pre-arranged.”

While expressing confidence in the judiciary, the PDP stressed that the concentration of its cases before the three judges undermines the appearance of impartiality. The petition cited recent rulings on leadership disputes, congress matters, and injunctions sought by rival factions, asserting that the current assignment system gives the “unfortunate impression of forum shopping and undue influence.”

The party urged the Chief Judge to implement a more “transparent, equitable, and automated system of assigning political cases” to restore public confidence in the judiciary, emphasizing that the request was made “not in hostility but in defence of the integrity of the judiciary.”

The FCT Judiciary is yet to respond. The petition comes amid renewed legal battles within PDP factions led by Gov. Seyi Makinde of Oyo State and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.