BREAKING: S’Court Reserves Judgment in PDP Leadership Crisis

The Supreme Court of Nigeria has reserved judgment in the appeal filed by the Kabiru Tanimu Turaki-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), challenging the nullification of its 2025 national convention held in Ibadan.

On Wednesday, a five-member panel led by Justice Lawal Garba announced that a date for judgment would be communicated to all parties after legal representatives adopted their final written addresses.

The Turaki faction is seeking to overturn the March 9 ruling of the Court of Appeal, which affirmed earlier decisions nullifying the party’s Ibadan convention held on November 15 and 16, 2025.

At the apex court, the faction argued that the dispute falls within internal party affairs and is therefore not justiciable, insisting that due process was followed in organising the convention.

However, lower courts had consistently ruled against the group, nullifying the exercise, restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission from recognising its outcome, and issuing orders affecting access to the party’s national secretariat.

The convention, which drew delegates from all 36 states and the FCT, was marked by sharp disagreements over zoning, accreditation delays, and allegations of last-minute manoeuvres by rival blocs.

A lower court also barred Turaki and others from parading themselves as national officers of the PDP.

The appellate court had upheld two judgments of the Federal High Court in Abuja, which barred the PDP from conducting the convention pending compliance with the Electoral Act and the 2022 Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties.

Similarly, Justice Peter Lifu restrained the party from proceeding with the convention until it allowed former Jigawa State governor, Sule Lamido, to participate in the national chairmanship race after finding he was unjustly excluded.

More details later…