The National Rescue Movement (NRM) has called on its members to remain firm and undeterred following a recent judgement by the Federal High Court.
On March 5, 2025, Justice Obiora Egwuato ruled in favour of a suit filed by individuals associated with the party, which the NRM leadership claimed was a fraudulent attempt to hijack the party’s leadership.
The suit, filed in January 2025 by Mr. Isaac Udeh and Edozie Njoku, sought to challenge the party’s governance structure and the conduct of its emergency convention on January 17, 2025. However, the NRM leadership, led by its National Executive Committee (NEC), quickly distanced itself from the legal action, citing that the suit was filed without their authorisation and violated party constitutional guidelines.
In the press statement, the NRM accused Mr. Udeh and Mr. Njoku of attempting to use the court to legitimise an illegal convention, calling it a backdoor move to seize control of the party.
The party stressed that only the National Executive Committee (NEC), and not an individual, has the authority to convene a national convention, according to the NRM’s constitution. Furthermore, the NRM pointed out that the alleged convention did not meet the necessary constitutional requirements, as no valid resolutions or approval from the party’s NEC were attached to the suit.
The judgement comes after a series of legal battles and procedural disputes that the NRM had previously raised. In response, the NRM filed multiple motions to change its legal representation and to strike out the case, but these motions were initially ignored by the court. The party also raised concerns about the actions of the judiciary and the potential influence of political operatives in the legal process.
“The judgment by Justice Egwuato sets a dangerous precedent where a faction within a party could manipulate the legal system to unlawfully alter its leadership,” said Peter Letsuwa, the Acting National Publicity Secretary of the NRM. “We are confident that this ruling is flawed and will not withstand legal scrutiny in higher courts. We urge all our members to remain steadfast and to trust in the integrity of our party constitution.”
The NRM also expressed its support for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which had refused to acknowledge the results of the emergency convention, insisting that the party’s constitution should be followed. The party condemned the attempts by Mr. Njoku and his allies to by-pass the constitutional structure and warned against undermining the authority of INEC.
The NRM reaffirmed its commitment to upholding the rule of law and its constitutional framework, and pledged to take further legal action to challenge the judgment. It also vowed to ensure that its next convention, scheduled for 2026, follows all necessary procedures and guidelines.
Despite the ruling, the NRM said remained optimistic that the judgment will not stand and encouraged all its members to remain resolute in the face of what it described as a “futile” attempt to destabilize the party.
