The internal crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party escalated on Tuesday after a Federal High Court in Abuja barred the Kabiru Turaki-led faction from accessing the party’s national secretariat.
The ruling has further widened the rift between competing groups vying for control of the opposition party.
Delivering the judgment, Joyce Abdulmalik also nullified the party’s convention held in Ibadan, Oyo State, in November 2025. The court held that the gathering, which produced the Turaki-led national executives, violated an existing court order.
The judge directed the Independent National Electoral Commission not to recognise any decisions from the convention, stating that all outcomes from the meeting lack legal standing.
In a related directive, security agencies were ordered to ensure that the faction aligned with Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, has unrestricted access to the party’s national headquarters.
The court specifically instructed the Nigerian Police Force and the Department of State Services to maintain order and enforce compliance with the ruling.
The judgment followed a suit filed on November 21, 2025, by Mohammed Abdulrahman and Samuel Anyanwu, who identified themselves as interim national chairman and secretary of the party. Both are said to be aligned with Wike.
They challenged the legitimacy of the Ibadan convention and sought to restrain the Turaki faction from acting on behalf of the PDP.
In her ruling, Justice Abdulmalik held that the convention held between November 15 and 16, 2025, breached Section 287(3) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended. She noted that the event disregarded subsisting court orders and violated provisions of the PDP constitution.
The court further declared that all actions taken during the convention, including the election of party officials and the suspension or expulsion of certain members, were unlawful.
Describing the development as a violation of the rule of law and internal party democracy, the judge ruled that all resolutions and decisions from the convention are null and void and carry no legal effect.
The court also faulted the disciplinary actions taken against members aligned with the plaintiffs, noting that they were carried out in defiance of valid court orders.
Justice Abdulmalik stressed that political parties must operate within the bounds of their constitutions and respect judicial authority. She emphasised that Section 287(3) empowers courts to enforce compliance, warning that no group is above the law.
The ruling is expected to significantly impact the ongoing leadership struggle within the PDP, as rival factions continue to assert control ahead of future political activities.
