By Onyeanya Ebere Immaculata
The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led by Tanimu Turaki has appealed a Federal High Court judgment in Ibadan which nullified the party’s November 2025 national convention and recognised a Wike-backed caretaker committee.
Justice Uche Agomoh, in a ruling delivered on Friday, voided the convention held in Ibadan on November 15, 2025, and ordered Turaki and other officials elected at the exercise to stop parading themselves as national officers. The court affirmed that the caretaker committee chaired by Mohammed Abdulrahman, with Samuel Anyanwu as secretary, remains the party’s recognised leadership pending a valid convention.
Reacting, Turaki said the NWC had filed a Notice of Appeal and a Motion for Stay of Execution, describing the judgment as “academic.” He urged the Court of Appeal to consolidate all PDP-related cases to ensure a definitive ruling.
Turaki maintained that the Ibadan convention was backed by PDP governors and produced officers elected for a four-year term, adding that the judgment conflicted with existing court decisions of coordinate jurisdiction. He expressed confidence that the appellate courts would resolve the leadership dispute conclusively.
The PDP crisis stems from rival claims between the governors-backed faction led by Turaki and the Wike-aligned camp supporting the Abdulrahman-led caretaker committee. INEC has declined to recognise either faction, prompting multiple court actions ahead of the 2027 general election.
Meanwhile, the Wike-backed caretaker committee welcomed the ruling, describing it as a victory for the rule of law. In a statement by its spokesperson, Jungude Mohammed, the committee urged party members to embrace unity, reconciliation, and due process.
