Turaki-Led PDP Faction Moves to Supreme Court Over Appeal Court Ruling on Ibadan Convention

The Tanimu Turaki-led National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has resolved to challenge the recent Court of Appeal judgment nullifying the party’s Ibadan national convention at the Supreme Court.
The decision was reached during an emergency National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting attended by leaders aligned with Turaki, alongside the Adolphus Wabara-led Board of Trustees (BoT). The meeting took place at the Bauchi State Governor’s Lodge in Abuja.
The gathering marked the third high-level PDP meeting this week, as the party’s internal leadership crisis continues to deepen ahead of the planned national convention being organised by the Abdulrahman Mohammed-led caretaker committee.
Fresh Legal Battle Looms
At the meeting, the Turaki-led faction reaffirmed its commitment to pursuing all legal options to overturn the appellate court’s verdict, which declared the party’s earlier convention invalid.
Despite the escalating crisis, the group maintained that it remains open to reconciliation.
A similar meeting held on Wednesday had ended with Turaki expressing optimism that ongoing peace talks within the party were beginning to yield progress.
However, the Abdulrahman Mohammed-led caretaker committee, reportedly enjoying the backing of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has insisted that reconciliation must not derail its planned convention.
The caretaker committee had earlier outlined conditions for any truce, including its insistence that the March 29 and 30, 2026 national convention must go ahead as scheduled.
Top Party Leaders Attend Abuja Meeting
Among prominent PDP stakeholders who presided over the emergency NEC meeting were:
Tanimu Turaki
Adolphus Wabara
Former Governor of Niger State, Babangida Aliyu
Former Governor of Kano State, Ibrahim Shekarau
Former Minister, Jerry Gana
In his opening remarks, Turaki informed members that Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, had sent his apologies for being unable to attend the session.
He also disclosed that members would receive updates on the party’s ongoing reconciliation efforts during a closed-door session.
Turaki assured party loyalists that all hope was not lost, stressing that the leadership was working hard to ensure the PDP remains a viable force and appears on the ballot in the 2027 general elections.
What the Appeal Court Ruled
The latest crisis follows a March 9, 2026 judgment of the Court of Appeal in Abuja, which upheld an earlier ruling delivered on November 14, 2025 by Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court.
The lower court had restrained the PDP from proceeding with its November 15–16 national convention in Ibadan without allowing former Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido, the opportunity to participate as a candidate for the party’s chairmanship position.
In its unanimous judgment, the three-member appellate panel held that the PDP went ahead with the convention in clear disobedience of a valid court order, describing the action as contemptuous and a sign of disrespect for the judiciary.
The court noted that it was not in dispute that the PDP conducted the convention despite a subsisting order directing the party to include Lamido in the process.
It also rejected the party’s defence that it acted based on another judgment from a court of coordinate jurisdiction.
According to the court, no party has the right to decide which court order to obey and which one to ignore.
The appellate court held that the PDP ought to have first sought a stay of execution or filed an appeal before proceeding with the convention.
It subsequently ruled that the trial court was right to assume jurisdiction over the matter and grant the reliefs sought by Lamido.
The court dismissed the PDP’s appeal for lacking merit and awarded ₦2 million in costs against the party.
Convention Still Scheduled for March 29–30
Meanwhile, the Mohammed-led caretaker committee has maintained its position and is pressing ahead with arrangements for the party’s national convention scheduled for Sunday, March 29, and Monday, March 30, 2026.
The development has further highlighted the widening divisions within the opposition party, raising fresh concerns over its unity and preparedness ahead of the 2027 general elections.