The Supreme Court on Thursday affirmed the nullification of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) national convention held in Ibadan, Oyo State, on November 15 and 16, 2025, dealing a major blow to the party’s leadership structure.
In a split decision, three out of five justices of the apex court held that the appeal filed by the Tanimu Turaki-led faction of the PDP lacked merit. Delivering the lead judgement, Justice Stephen Adah ruled that the appellants acted in violation of a subsisting order of the Federal High Court, which had restrained them from proceeding with the convention.
The apex court’s decision effectively upholds earlier rulings that voided the convention, which produced the Turaki-led national executive.
The legal dispute is rooted in an intense power struggle within the PDP, involving a faction aligned with Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike—an ally of President Bola Tinubu—and another camp loyal to Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde.
The controversy began after the conduct of the Ibadan convention, which was challenged in court over alleged violations of the party’s constitution and the Electoral Act. Austin Nwachukwu and two other PDP chieftains had instituted a suit before the Federal High Court in Abuja, contesting the legality of the convention conducted under the then Ambassador Iliya Damagum-led National Executive Committee.
Separately, former Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido, filed a suit before another Federal High Court, challenging his exclusion from the convention. He argued that he was denied the opportunity to purchase nomination forms and contest for the office of national chairman.
Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court had, in a judgement delivered prior to the convention, restrained the PDP from proceeding with the exercise until Lamido was allowed to participate. However, the party went ahead with the convention in defiance of the court order, insisting that the matter was an internal affair beyond judicial intervention.
The Court of Appeal later nullified the outcome of the convention, ruling that it was conducted in disobedience of a valid court order and rejecting the argument that the issue was purely an internal party matter.
Dissatisfied, the PDP approached the Supreme Court, urging it to overturn the appellate court’s decision and declare that both the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal lacked jurisdiction over what it described as its internal affairs.
At the hearing of the appeal, counsel to the Turaki-led faction, Paul Erokoro, SAN, urged the apex court to allow the appeal and set aside the judgement of the Court of Appeal. However, Lamido’s counsel, Ewere Aliemeke, as well as lawyers representing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and other respondents, asked the court to dismiss the appeal for lacking merit.
Chief Joseph Daudu, SAN, representing some of the respondents, argued that the matter did not fall within the scope of internal party affairs, especially given the alleged breach of a subsisting court order.
In a related matter, counsel to the PDP, Chief Chris Uche, SAN, had contended that the lower courts erred by assuming jurisdiction and granting orders against the party’s convention. He urged the apex court to set aside the judgements of both courts.
After hearing arguments from all parties, the Supreme Court reserved judgement, which was eventually delivered on Thursday, affirming the earlier decisions and nullifying the convention.
Boluwatife Enome
