By: Olayinka Ganiyu
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has dismissed claims that the Supreme Court’s April 30, 2026 judgment led to a leadership takeover within the party, describing such interpretations as a deliberate misrepresentation of facts.
Speaking at a press conference held at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja, the National Publicity Secretary, Jungudo Mohammed, clarified that the court’s ruling focused solely on invalidating the disputed Ibadan Convention. He emphasized that the Supreme Court also rejected the appeal filed by the faction led by former Minister of Special Duties, Kabiru Turaki, on the grounds that it lacked merit.
According to the PDP, the judgment did not address or make any pronouncement on the suspension or expulsion of party officials. The party stressed that these issues were never part of the legal proceedings and therefore could not have been determined by the court.
“The ruling is straightforward and unambiguous. It dealt only with the legality of the so-called 15th and 16th Ibadan conventions. At no time did the court consider matters relating to the suspension or expulsion of any party officer,” the party stated.
The PDP also rejected claims of an internal leadership crisis, maintaining that its structure remains stable under the leadership of National Chairman Abdulrahman Mohammed and National Secretary Senator Samuel Anyanwu.
It accused the Turaki-led group of spreading misleading narratives in an attempt to gain public sympathy, urging Nigerians to consult the Certified True Copy of the judgment for accurate details.
Additionally, the party criticized former Senate President and past Chairman of its Board of Trustees (BoT), Adolphus Wabara, over assertions that the BoT had assumed control of the party. The PDP insisted that its constitution does not grant the BoT authority to take over the responsibilities of the National Working Committee (NWC).
The party further argued that Wabara’s tenure as BoT chairman had already expired and identified Senator Mao Ohuabunwa as the legitimate head of the body.
“Senator Adolphus Wabara should refrain from speaking on behalf of the PDP, as such actions constitute violations that will no longer be tolerated,” the statement added.
The PDP also accused those involved in organizing the Ibadan convention of disregarding existing court orders, suggesting that their actions point to an effort to destabilize the party.
Reaffirming its unity, the party denied the existence of any internal factions and urged media organizations to refrain from portraying it as divided. It urged both its members and the public to ignore what it described as propaganda from “rejected elements,” reiterating its commitment to functioning as a cohesive and lawful opposition party in Nigeria.