The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is once again in the spotlight following renewed controversy over its long-standing leadership dispute. Tensions have flared after a Certified True Copy (CTC) of the Supreme Court’s judgement on the matter began circulating, with rival factions offering sharply differing interpretations of the ruling.
According to reports obtained by THISDAY, the Supreme Court dismissed both the main appeal filed by the faction led by Kabiru Tanimu Turaki and the cross-appeal from supporters of Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
In the judgement delivered by Justice Stephen Adah, the apex court held: “The Cross-Appeal is in the circumstance of the Main Appeal, dismissed.”
The leadership dispute stemmed from parallel conventions conducted by rival PDP factions. The Turaki faction, believed to enjoy the backing of Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, emerged from the party’s convention held in Ibadan in November 2025, while the Wike-backed bloc produced Abdulrahman Mohammed as National Chairman during another convention held in Abuja in March 2026.
The Turaki camp had approached the Supreme Court to overturn an earlier Court of Appeal judgement that nullified the Ibadan convention for allegedly violating subsisting court orders issued by the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The appellate court had ruled that the convention was conducted in defiance of judicial directives restraining the PDP from proceeding with the gathering until unresolved congress disputes were addressed.
In its ruling, the Supreme Court condemned the conduct of the appellants, accusing them of engaging in abuse of court process by proceeding with the convention despite valid court orders.
“The Party Convention of the appellant conducted on November 15 and 16, 2025, in defiance of the subsisting order of the Federal High Court… is null, void and of no effect,” the apex court ruled.
The judgement also touched on the suspension of some party officials, including former National Secretary Senator Samuel Anyanwu and former National Legal Adviser Kamaldeen Ajibade, SAN.
The appellate court had earlier held that Ajibade lacked legal authority to file court processes on behalf of the PDP because he had already been suspended from office at the time.
The implication, according to legal interpretations emerging from the judgement, is that actions undertaken by suspended officials, including the constitution of some caretaker structures and conventions, could be rendered invalid.
However, the Abdulrahman Mohammed-led faction rejected claims that the Supreme Court judgement removed its leadership or invalidated its authority.
In a statement issued by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Haruna Mohammed Jungudo, the faction insisted that the purported CTC circulating in public was not officially certified by the Supreme Court.
According to him, the document lacked proper signatures, stamps and certification requirements expected of official court records.
Jungudo further argued that even if the document were genuine, the judgement did not suspend Anyanwu or direct the PDP Board of Trustees to take over the party.
“The Supreme Court did not suspend Senator Samuel Anyanwu or any member of the party leadership. The apex court also did not direct the PDP Board of Trustees to assume control of the party,” he stated.
He accused some individuals of deliberately misrepresenting the judgement for political reasons and insisted that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) still recognises Abdulrahman Mohammed and Samuel Anyanwu as PDP leaders.
The party spokesman also maintained that the cross-appeal filed before the Supreme Court was limited to the issue of legal representation and not the suspension or expulsion of party officials.
He reassured members that the PDP would participate fully in the 2027 general elections despite the ongoing internal disputes.
Meanwhile, Senator Anyanwu’s legal battle over his suspension and recommended expulsion from the PDP remains pending before the Court of Appeal in Abuja.
