PDP faction alleges judicial bias after Appeal Court ruling

A member of the Taminu Turaki-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Anthony Ehilebo, has alleged bias by judges handling cases involving the party.

Ehilebo made the claim on Monday during a live appearance on Arise Television’s Prime Time programme.

His allegation followed Monday’s ruling by the Court of Appeal which dismissed an appeal filed by the Turaki-led faction.

The appellate court also affirmed the earlier judgment of the Federal High Court in Abuja delivered on October 31, 2025, which restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising the outcome of the PDP’s 2025 National Convention.

Reacting to the ruling, Ehilebo claimed that members of the faction had repeatedly raised concerns over alleged bias by some judges presiding over matters involving them.

According to him, the case earlier handled by Justice James Omotosho was compromised due to actions allegedly taken by the party’s national legal adviser at the time.

“The PDP has complained about the judges that are always biased towards us,” he said.

“You have to understand that the case before Justice James Omotosho was killed in a particular way because the national legal adviser at the time attempted to sabotage the case and was allowed to do so by the judge handling the matter.”

He further disclosed that the faction had formally written to the Chief Justice of Nigeria requesting that Justice Abdulmalik Joyce, Justice Lifu and Justice Omotosho recuse themselves from hearing any case involving them.

The development is the latest twist in the ongoing leadership crisis within the PDP, which has seen rival factions locked in legal battles over the party’s structure and legitimacy.