PDP crisis: Turaki faction loses as Appeal Court upholds ruling against Ibadan convention

The Court of Appeal in Abuja has upheld the judgment of the Federal High Court restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising the outcome of the 2025 National Convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) held in Ibadan, Oyo State.

The convention, which took place between November 15 and 16, 2025, produced a National Working Committee (NWC) led by Tanimu Turaki (SAN).

Delivering judgment on the appeal, Justice Uchechukwu Onyemenam held that the PDP failed to comply with constitutional and legal requirements governing the conduct of such conventions.

The court ruled that no valid notice of the convention was served on INEC, as required by law.

It also held that valid congresses were not conducted in more than 14 states of the federation, a prerequisite before holding a national convention.

Justice Onyemenam further ruled that the suit filed by aggrieved members of the party was not merely an internal affair of the PDP, but an attempt to compel INEC to perform its statutory duty in monitoring party conventions.

Having found that the PDP failed to comply with relevant laws, the appellate court affirmed that the Federal High Court was right to assume jurisdiction and restrain INEC from recognising the convention’s outcome.

“Compliance with the 1999 Constitution, the Electoral Act 2022 and party guidelines is at the heart of democratic governance and must be strictly enforced in the interest of democracy,” the judge said.

The ruling affirmed the earlier decision of Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, who on October 31, 2025, restrained INEC from recognising the outcome of the convention until all legal requirements were met.

Justice Omotosho had ruled that the PDP failed to conduct congresses in some states and also violated provisions requiring the mandatory 21-day notice to INEC before holding party meetings and congresses.

The lower court also held that notices and correspondence signed by the national chairman without the national secretary were invalid under the law.

The suit was filed by three PDP members — Austin Nwachukwu (Imo State PDP chairman), Amah Abraham Nnanna (Abia PDP chairman), and Turnah Alabh George (PDP South-South Secretary).

The case, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2120/2025, was instituted on their behalf by Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Joseph Daudu.

The defendants in the suit include INEC, the PDP, the party’s National Secretary Samuel Anyanwu, National Organising Secretary Umar Bature, the National Working Committee, the National Executive Committee, Ambassador Umar Damagum, Ali Odefa and Emmanuel Ogidi.