Judgement in the suit filed by former Governor Sule Lamido was, on Thursday, stalled at the Federal High Court, Abuja Division.

Mr Lamido is challenging his exclusion from contesting the chairmanship position in the Peoples Democratic Party’s national convention.

The judgment, which was fixed for today by Justice Peter Lifu, could not be delivered.

The court registrar announced to lawyers and litigants, including the former governor, who were in court, that the judgment was not yet ready and that parties would be notified on the next adjourned date.

Mr Lifu had, on Tuesday, fixed today for the judgment.

The judge fixed the date after counsel for Mr Lamido, Jeph Njikonye, lawyer to PDP, Omokayode Dada; Joseph Daudu, who appeared for parties that were joined in the suit; and INEC lawyer adopted their processes and presented their arguments for and against the suit.

Mr Lifu had, earlier on Tuesday, restrained the PDP from going ahead with its scheduled national convention pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit filed by Mr Lamido.

The judge, in a ruling, also restrained INEC from monitoring, supervising, or recognising the outcome of the convention, pending the hearing and determination of the suit before him.

Mr Lifu held that the ex parte motion filed by the applicant, Mr Lamido, was meritorious and accordingly succeeded.

The judge held that evidence from Mr Lamido showed that the timetable for the convention was not published for the attention of its members as required by law.

Mr Lifu also held that the balance of convenience tilted in favour of Mr Lamido because he would suffer more if allowed to be unlawfully excluded from the planned convention; hence, it was necessary to grant the preservation order.

The judge then stood down the matter for several hours to allow the parties to regularise their processes.

When the case was recalled, the parties adopted their respective processes and presented their arguments, and the judge scheduled November 13 for judgment.

(NAN)