The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has formally expressed apprehensions regarding the handling of its cases at the Federal High Court’s Abuja Division. In a letter addressed to Honorable Justice John Terhemba Tsoho, the Chief Judge, the PDP alleged that, for several years, all legal matters involving the party have been consistently routed to just three judges out of the approximately twelve serving in the division.
The letter, dated November 19, 2025 and signed by National Secretary H.E. Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja, highlighted the party’s discomfort with this recurring pattern. According to the PDP, regardless of whether the party is the plaintiff or defendant, its cases have routinely been assigned to Justices James Omotosho, Peter Odo Lifu, and Abdulmalik. The party’s newly elected National Working Committee (NWC) and National Executive Committee (NEC) have repeatedly voiced concerns, claiming the trend fosters a perception of “courts of particular concern” for PDP-related matters.
The PDP observed that this trend has generated a sense of concern and unease among its members, particularly with the anticipation of additional cases being filed in the foreseeable future. The party clarified that it maintains confidence in the judiciary and the leadership of Justice Tsoho, but underscored the importance of justice being both achieved in practice and clearly perceived as fair and impartial.
In its appeal, the PDP requested that future cases involving the party be allocated more broadly among all judges in the Abuja Division, rather than being limited to the same three individuals. The letter stated, “In light of this, we respectfully request that no subsequent matters or proceedings involving our party be assigned to any of these three judges.”
Ambassador Arapaja concluded the correspondence by emphasizing that the PDP’s request is founded on the principles of fairness, transparency, and the preservation of public trust in the judiciary. The party further reiterated its confidence in the judicial system and respectfully urged the Chief Judge to intervene in order to help restore confidence among both party members and the wider public.
