A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has restrained the faction of the Peoples Democratic Party led by Kabiru Tanimu Turaki (SAN) from entering or operating from the party’s national secretariat at Wadata Plaza.
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Justice Joyce Abdulmalik delivered the ruling on Monday in a suit filed by members of the PDP faction aligned with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
The court declared the PDP national convention held in Ibadan, Oyo State, on November 15 and 16, 2025 — which produced the Turaki-led leadership — as invalid and of no legal effect.
Justice Abdulmalik held that the convention was conducted in violation of existing court orders and breached Section 287(3) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which mandates that decisions of the Federal High Court and other superior courts must be enforced by all authorities and persons throughout the federation.
She also cited non-compliance with the PDP’s own constitution and internal regulations as grounds for invalidating the convention.
The court made several significant orders in its judgment:
Restraining Order: The Turaki-led faction and its associates are restrained from accessing or operating from the PDP national secretariat.
Security Protection: Security agencies, including the Nigeria Police Force and the Department of State Services, are directed to provide adequate protection for the Wike-backed faction to enable them to access the headquarters and conduct party activities.
Right To Remain In Office: The court reaffirmed that the plaintiffs (Wike-aligned group) are entitled to remain in office and use the party’s national secretariat and properties.
INEC Directive: The Independent National Electoral Commission is barred from recognizing the Turaki-led executives or any changes to the party’s address other than the existing official one.
This ruling comes amid a protracted power struggle within the PDP, Nigeria’s main opposition party.
The Turaki faction, which emerged from the Ibadan convention, has faced multiple court setbacks, including an earlier Federal High Court decision by Justice James Omotosho and its affirmation by the Court of Appeal on March 9, 2026, which nullified the convention’s outcomes and restrained INEC from recognizing them.
The Wike-backed group had proceeded with its own national convention in Abuja over the weekend (March 29–30, 2026), where Abdulrahman Mohammed and Samuel Anyanwu were re-elected as National Chairman and National Secretary respectively.
The convention was held despite the Turaki faction’s appeal to the Supreme Court seeking to stop it.
The PDP has been deeply divided, with parallel claims to leadership, suspensions, and control of party structures.
The crisis has involved key figures, including state governors aligned with one side and prominent leaders like Wike on the other.
Reconciliation efforts have been reported but appear to have made limited progress as legal battles continue.
The Turaki faction has indicated plans to challenge aspects of the rulings at the Supreme Court, while the Wike side has dismissed such moves as ineffective.
Legal experts note that Section 287(3) underscores the binding nature of court decisions until set aside by a higher court.
Monday’s judgment represents a significant victory for the Wike-backed faction in the ongoing battle for control of the PDP.
With the court ordering security agencies to protect the Wike group’s access to the party secretariat while barring the Turaki faction from the premises, the physical control of the party’s infrastructure now firmly rests with the group that held its convention over the weekend.
The directive to INEC not to recognize the Turaki executives further reinforces the Wike faction’s claim to legitimacy, at least pending any Supreme Court intervention.
However, the Turaki faction’s appeal to the Supreme Court means the crisis is far from over. Until the apex court delivers a definitive ruling, the PDP will continue to operate under a cloud of legal uncertainty.
With the May 30 deadline for party primaries approaching, the judgment is expected to further shape control of the PDP’s national infrastructure and influence preparations for the 2027 general elections.
Both factions are likely to intensify their legal and political maneuvers in the coming days as the battle for the soul of Nigeria’s main opposition party continues.
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