Supreme Court reserves judgment in PDP leadership crisis

Abdullateef Fowewe

Nigeria’s Supreme Court on Wednesday reserved judgment in an appeal by the Kabiru Tanimu Turaki-led PDP faction challenging the nullification of the party’s 2025 national convention.

A five-member panel, led by Justice Lawal Garba, announced that a judgment date would be communicated after counsel adopted final written addresses.

“A date for judgment would be communicated to all parties,” the court stated.

The Turaki faction seeks to overturn a March 9 Court of Appeal ruling affirming lower court decisions invalidating the November 15-16, 2025, Ibadan convention.

They argued, “The dispute falls within internal party affairs and is therefore not justiciable,” claiming due process was followed.

Lower courts, including Federal High Court rulings by Justices James Omotosho and Peter Lifu, ruled against the PDP for failing to hold valid state congresses and excluding Sule Lamido from the chairmanship race.

These barred INEC recognition and access to the national secretariat.

Suits were filed by aggrieved members from Imo, Abia, and South-South zones, fueling the ongoing crisis.