PDP crisis: Supreme Court okays speedy hearing of appeal by Turaki-led faction

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By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

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The Supreme Court, on Tuesday, ordered an accelerated hearing of an appeal challenging the nullification of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) national convention held in Ibadan, Oyo State, on November 15 and 16, 2025.

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A five-member panel of the apex court, headed by Justice Mohammed Lawal, approved an expedited hearing of the appeal marked SC/CV/166/2026.

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The appeal was filed by the Taminu Turaki, SAN-led factional national executives of the party that emerged from the convention.

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The appellants—PDP, its National Working Committee (NWC), and National Executive Committee (NEC)—had, in a motion filed on April 8 through their team of lawyers led by Chief Chris Uche, SAN, prayed for a departure from the Supreme Court Rules and the abridgement of time for all respondents to file their briefs of argument.

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While moving the application on Tuesday, Uche, SAN, insisted that the circumstances warranted expeditious determination “in the interest of justice.”

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He stressed that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), also a respondent, had announced April 23 as the commencement date for candidate submissions by political parties.

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Uche, SAN, added that his clients had filed an affidavit of extreme urgency to justify swift determination of the case.

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He also informed the court that the appellants had filed a 23-paragraph affidavit in support of the motion on notice.

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Meanwhile, Mr. Emmanuel Ukala, SAN, representing the PDP faction aligned with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, did not oppose the application but requested 15 days to respond to the appeal.

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INEC and the other respondents, though not opposed to a speedy hearing, requested 10 days to file their briefs of argument.

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In its ruling, the panel held that it was expedient to grant the appellants’ prayers.

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Consequently, it ordered the respondents to file their responses within five days and directed the appellants to file any reply upon receipt of those processes.

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The Supreme Court stipulated that filing and exchange of processes must be completed before April 21 and fixed April 22 for the substantive appeal.

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It will be recalled that the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal, on March 9, upheld judgments barring the PDP from proceeding with the Ibadan convention.

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The appellate court held that the convention, which produced the Turaki, SAN-led factional leadership, lacked legal backing as it disobeyed two Federal High Court judgments in Abuja delivered on October 31 and November 14, 2025.

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The panel, led by Justice Mohammed Danjuma, dismissed the first appeal marked CA/ABJ/CV/1613/2025, filed by the PDP faction aligned with Governors Seyi Makinde of Oyo State and Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State.

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It found no reason to overturn Justice James Omotosho’s verdict of the high court, which had barred INEC from validating the Ibadan convention outcome.

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According to the appellate court, evidence showed that statutory conditions precedent were not met before the convention.

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The panel stressed that the trial court rightly stopped the convention and dismissed the Turaki-led faction’s claim that the matter was a non-justiciable domestic affair of the party.

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Justice Uchechukwu Onyemenam, who delivered the lead judgment, held that the lower court properly assumed jurisdiction, as the suit sought compliance with the Electoral Act, the 1999 Constitution (as amended), and the PDP’s guidelines and regulations for political parties.

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The appellate court rejected arguments that the appellants lacked locus standi (legal right).

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Although it acknowledged that Article 42 of the PDP Constitution requires legal actions to pass through the National Legal Adviser, the panel noted the claim that Mr. Kamaldeen Ajibade, SAN—the legal adviser—had been suspended by the party’s NWC.

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It emphasised that Ajibade’s suspension was a non-justiciable internal party matter, disqualifying him from handling the PDP’s legal interests.

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The appellate court was satisfied that the Turaki-led group received a fair hearing and that evidence proved the PDP’s failure to comply with statutory provisions and guidelines before the convention.

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It found merit in the substantive suit by three aggrieved members—Hon. Austin Nwachukwu (Imo PDP Chairman), Hon. Amah Abraham Nnanna (Abia PDP Chairman), and Turnah Alabh George (PDP Secretary, South-South)—aligned with the Wike faction.

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The high court faulted the PDP for failing to conduct valid state congresses in 14 states before the convention.

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It held that the convention could not proceed without congresses to produce voting delegates for national officers in those states.

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The court also noted that notices for the convention were signed only by the National Chairman, excluding the National Secretary, rendering them a nullity.

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Justice Omotosho ruled that the PDP’s failure to follow procedures jeopardised the convention.

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Therefore, he directed the party to conduct proper meetings and congresses with 21 days’ statutory notice to INEC for monitoring.

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Cited as defendants were INEC; PDP; National Chairman Ambassador Umar Iliya Damagum; National Secretary Senator Samuel Anyanwu; National Organising Secretary Umar Bature; national officers Ali Odefa and Emmanuel Ogidi; and the PDP’s NWC and NEC.

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The plaintiffs argued that the 1999 Constitution (as amended) requires INEC monitoring for valid party congresses and that no valid notice was served for the convention.

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Agreeing, the court dismissed the defendants’ preliminary objections on jurisdiction over “internal affairs.”

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It restrained INEC from receiving, publishing, or recognising the convention outcome until compliance with the 1999 Constitution (as amended), Electoral Act 2022, and INEC guidelines.

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The court held that INEC need not recognise a convention without proper delegate election frameworks.

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However, shortly after that judgment, the party secured a contradictory order allowing it to proceed.

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The Turaki-led faction then appealed, but the appellate court dismissed it on March 9 with N2 million costs.

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Meanwhile, the Wike-aligned group has conducted a national convention in Abuja, producing its factional leadership.

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The group also secured a high court judgment that granted it access to the PDP National Secretariat in Abuja.

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