A Federal High Court sitting in Ibadan has annulled the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) November 15, 2025 national convention, prompting strong reactions from rival camps within the party.
The ruling has been appealed by the Tanimu Turaki-led faction, while the caretaker committee aligned to Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, welcomed the decision.
The PDP has been embroiled in a prolonged leadership dispute arising from parallel power centres following its controversial national convention held in Ibadan, Oyo State in November 2025. The exercise produced a National Working Committee (NWC) led by Tanimu Turaki, with backing from several state governors.
However, a competing faction loyal to Minister Wike constituted a caretaker committee headed by Mohammed Abdulrahman and Senator Samuel Anyanwu. Both groups sought recognition by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), but INEC has so far declined to recognise either structure amid mounting legal challenges.
On Friday, a Federal High Court in Ibadan, presided over by Justice Uche Agomoh, held that the PDP national convention was conducted in violation of existing court orders.
The judge set aside all decisions taken at the exercise and barred Turaki and others elected at the convention from parading themselves as national officers of the party pending a valid convention.
The court affirmed the caretaker committee led by Abdulrahman and Anyanwu as the only recognised NWC of the PDP until a proper convention is held.
Reacting to the ruling, Turaki said the judgment was an academic exercise as multiple related cases are already before the Court of Appeal. He said the faction had filed a Notice of Appeal and a Motion for Stay of Execution and would pursue the matter to its legal conclusion.
Turaki assured party members that the leadership produced by the Ibadan convention remained “legally intact, firmly in place, and fully committed to the ongoing rebirth of the Peoples Democratic Party.”
In contrast, Wike’s camp welcomed the nullification and said it reaffirmed the rule of law, constitutionalism, and internal party democracy.
Through its National Publicity Secretary, Jungude Mohammed, the caretaker committee described the judgment as a decisive victory that reinforced the party’s commitment to due process and compliance with its constitution and extant laws.
The statement called on all members to remain calm, law-abiding, and united.
The court’s decision intensifies the leadership crisis within Nigeria’s main opposition party, creating a legal and political impasse ahead of the 2027 general election.
The contrasting reactions from the rival factions illustrate the intra-party divisions and highlight the centrality of judicial intervention in resolving political disputes. Both camps have indicated plans to pursue further legal remedies, which may lead to protracted litigation at appellate courts.
The dispute has broader implications for party cohesion and electoral readiness, as unresolved leadership tensions could affect strategic planning and mobilisation efforts.
It also underscores the judiciary’s role in adjudicating political party governance issues where internal mechanisms have failed to produce consensus.
The Federal High Court’s nullification of the PDP’s November 2025 national convention has deepened existing divisions within the party.
The Turaki-led faction has appealed the ruling, while the Wike-aligned caretaker committee has celebrated the judgment.
As both sides look to higher courts for definitive resolution, the party’s leadership crisis remains unresolved with significant ramifications for its internal governance and political prospects.
