By: Olayinka Ganiyu
The Supreme Court of Nigeria on Thursday invalidated the Peoples Democratic Party’s national convention held in Ibadan, Oyo State, in November 2025, rejecting all appeals by the faction led by Tanimu Turaki that sought to legitimise the exercise.
In a split 3–2 decision, a five-member panel of the apex court, led by Justice Mohammed Lawal Garba, dismissed the appeal (SC/CV/164/2026), with Justice Stephen Adah delivering the majority judgment.
The verdict deals a significant setback to the faction supported by Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde and Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, further intensifying the leadership crisis within Nigeria’s main opposition party as the 2027 general elections approach.
The disputed Ibadan convention, held on November 15 and 16, 2025, had produced Turaki as the PDP’s national chairman. However, it proceeded in defiance of two Federal High Court orders.
Justice Peter Lifu had barred the party from holding the convention until former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido was allowed to purchase nomination forms and contest for the chairmanship, following his legal challenge over exclusion. In a separate ruling, Justice James Omotosho also halted the convention, citing the party’s failure to conduct valid state congresses in 14 states in line with the 1999 Constitution, the Electoral Act, and the party’s internal guidelines.
Despite these rulings, the PDP went ahead with the convention, relying on a conflicting order from an Oyo State High Court.
In March 2026, the Court of Appeal upheld the earlier decisions, describing the party’s actions as a gross abuse of court process, prompting the Turaki faction to escalate the matter to the Supreme Court.
With this latest judgment, the caretaker committee headed by Abdulrahman Mohammed backed by FCT Minister Nyesom Wike remains the recognised leadership of the PDP until a fresh and lawful national convention is conducted.
The decision comes amid preparations for the 2027 general elections, with INEC already scheduling party primaries between April and May 2026.