Justice Salim Ibrahim gave the order after counsel to the plaintiffs, Gordy Uche, SAN, informed the court that the suit is time-bound.
The Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday ordered an accelerated hearing in a suit filed by Adolphus Wabara-led Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Kabir Turaki faction of the PDP against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Justice Salim Ibrahim gave the order after counsel to the plaintiffs, Gordy Uche, SAN, informed the court that the suit is time-bound, based on INEC’s revised timetable and schedule of activities for the 2027 general elections, which set July as the ultimatum.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that members of the Wabara-led BoT and the PDP had filed the fresh suit seeking an order of the court compelling INEC to recognise the Turaki-led interim National Working Committee (NWC) of the party on its official website.
The plaintiffs also sought an order directing the electoral umpire to forthwith update its records and publish on its official website the interim NWC of the party, as forwarded to it by the plaintiffs and its National Executive Committee (NEC).
They said the names of members of the Kabir Turaki-led NWC were forwarded to the electoral umpire via their letters dated 4 May.
NAN reports that the originating summons, marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1159/2026, was filed on 4 June by a team of lawyers led by Chris Uche, SAN.
The BoT members, who are plaintiffs in the suit, are ex-Senate President Adolphus Wabara; BoT Secretary, former Governor Babangida Aliyu of Niger; ex-Minister of Information, Jerry Gana and PDP chieftain, Olabode George, as 1st to 4th plaintiffs.
Others are former Minister of Women Affairs, Maryam Ciroma; another ex-Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Zainab Maina; member of BoT and NEC, Esther Uduehi; and PDP as the 5th to 8th plaintiffs respectively.
They sued INEC as the sole defendant.
When the case was called, Mr Uche announced appearance for all the plaintiffs, including the PDP, which is the 8th defendant.
The lawyer informed the court that the National Chairman of the faction he represented, Kabir Turaki, SAN, was also in court, as was Mr Gana, the 3rd plaintiff in the case.
Sunday Ameh, SAN, also stood up shortly after Mr Uche made his appearance and also announced his appearance for the 8th plaintiff (PDP).
“I have announced appearance for the 8th plaintiff, and I am surprised that the learned senior counsel also announced his appearance for the same plaintiff.
“And we have our national chairman here in court,” Mr Uche said.
The development, however, generated some confusion in court.
After O.A. Adeyemi announced his appearance for INEC, Adedayo Adedeji, SAN, also stood up to announce his appearance for applicants/parties seeking to be joined in the suit.
Mr Adedeji mentioned the names of the applicants who sought to be joined as 2nd, 3rd and 4th defendants in the suit as “Hon. Austin Nwachukwu, Hon. Amah Abraham Nnanna and Mr Turnah George.”
Another lawyer, George Ibrahim, SAN, also announced his appearance for parties seeking to be joined as defendants in the matter.
Mr Ibrahim said he represents Mohammed Abdulrahman, the National Chairman of the PDP faction loyal to Mr Nyesom Wike, the FCT Minister; Samuel Anyanwu, the National Secretary; and Karmardeen Ajibade, SAN, the party’s National Legal Adviser.
Speaking, Mr Uche said they filed the suit via an originating summons on 4 June with INEC as their sole defendant.
He said the commission had been duly served.
The lawyer equally said that he had also received two applications for joinder from Messrs Adedeji and Ibrahim.
Mr Uche said he also received an application from Mr Ameh, seeking a change of counsel.
He said he found it strange that Mr Ameh wanted to appear for the PDP (8th plaintiff), which he was representing in court.
Besides, he said he received another motion from Mr Ameh, praying the court to strike out the name of the 8th plaintiff (PDP) in the suit.
He said he was just served with the motion before the case commenced.
INEC’s lawyer, Mr Adeyemi, admitted the commission was served with the plaintiffs’ originating summons on 11 June.
He said they were also served with processes filed by Messrs Ameh, Adedeji and Ibrahim.
Mr Ameh said he had instructions to represent the PDP in the suit and that he had filed a notice of change of counsel for the 8th plaintiff earlier in the morning.
The senior lawyer said he also filed a motion on notice seeking the striking out of the name of the 8th plaintiff (PDP) from the suit because the party did not authorise it.
