Justice Salim Ibrahim of the Federal High Court (FHC) in Abuja has fixed July 7 for a definite hearing in a suit filed by the Sen. Adolphus Wabara-led Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

A High Court also issued new Practice Directions for handling pre-election matters, aimed at ensuring speedy, efficient and fair determination of disputes arising from electoral processes.

Also, Ogbeide Associates, solicitors and counsel holding brief for PDP, yesterday, said the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Tunji Disu, had yet to acknowledge its petition against the party’s National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu, and National Chairman, Abdulrahman Mohammed, seven days after it was sent to him.

Justice Ibrahim, who fixed the date to allow all parties file and respond to processes served on them, held that all pending applications and substantive suit would be taken together in the next adjourned date.

He also ordered all the parties to file and serve their processes as agreed by July 6.

The judge, who held that the court would not entertain further delay of proceedings on the next adjourned date, adjourned the matter until July 7 for hearing of all applications, including the substantive suit.
Ibrahim had, on June 19, ordered an accelerated hearing in the case.

The judge gave the order after counsel to the plaintiffs, Gordy Uche(SAN), informed the court that the suit was time-bound based on INEC’s revised timetable and schedule of activities for the 2027 general elections which gave July 17 as an ultimatum.

Members of the Wabara-led BoT and the PDP had filed the fresh suit seeking an order of the court compelling INEC to recognise the Kabir Turaki-led interim National Working Committee (NWC) of the party in its official website.

THE new Federal High Court (Pre-Election) Practice Directions 2026 was issued by the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, John Tsoho.

In a statement signed by the Director of Information of the court, Dr Catherine Christopher, on Monday, the court said the new guidelines were designed to strengthen the administration of justice in pre-election disputes.

The Practice Directions, according to the statement, are intended to facilitate the prompt resolution of pre-election cases in accordance with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the Electoral Act 2026, and other relevant laws.

The court noted that the 2026 Practice Directions repealed the earlier 2022 version, marking a fresh framework for the management of electoral litigation before the Federal High Court.

The court urged all stakeholders, including lawyers, political parties and litigants, to familiarise themselves with the new Practice Directions for effective compliance.

ON June 23, 2026, the lawyers had petitioned Disu, demanding an investigation into Anyanwu and Mohammed over a letter dated November 3, 2025, addressed to INEC.

The petition alleges that the letter falsely claimed the party’s NWC had suspended Umar Damagum as Acting National Chairman and appointed Mohammed in his place.

However, in a statement signed by Anthony Ehilebo on behalf of the law firm,noted: “On June 23, 2026, Ogbeide Associates
formally filed a petition at the Force Headquarters, Abuja, requesting the IGP to investigate Senator Samuel Anyanwu and Abdulrahman Mohammed over alleged false information furnished to INEC in the PDP leadership crisis.

“It is now seven days later, no acknowledgement, no invitation to either man, no update.For context: when a manipulated, AI-generated audio clip falsely attributed to President Tinubu went viral on May 27, 2026, the police announced an arrest in the matter by June 4, 2026, about one week.We make no allegation as to why our petition backed by a subsisting Federal High Court judgment, an official NWC resolution, an official meeting attendance record, and a Court of Appeal judgment, has not yet received the same urgency.”

According to the law firm, should there be no substantive response within a reasonable further period, all available legal remedies, including proceedings to compel action, will be pursued, adding: “Nigerians are watching, the documents are public, silence is not an answer.”