Court nullifies PDP national convention held in Ibadan

A Federal High Court sitting in Ibadan, Oyo State, on Friday, nullified the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) national convention held in the city between15 and 16 November, 2025.

The judge, Uche Agomoh, also held that the Caretaker Committee led by Mohammed Abdulrahman and Samuel Anyanwu remained the only recognised National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP, pending the conduct of a valid national convention.

It would be recalled that the Kabiru Turaki faction of the PDP had filed the suit No. FHC/IB/CS/121/2025, seeking recognition of the convention held in Ibadan in November ladt year and validation of the NWC that emerged at the convention

Mr Agomoh also barred Mr Turaki and other officials purportedly elected at the convention from parading themselves as national officers of the party forthwith.

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The court held that the convention was conducted in flagrant disobedience to two subsisting judgments of the same court.

It said that returning to seek judicial approval for actions taken in defiance of court orders was an exercise in futility.

Consequently, all decisions taken at the convention were set aside by the court.

The judge further declared that the PDP could only operate through the caretaker committee until a proper and lawful national convention was held.

Reacting to the judgment, counsel to the PDP Caretaker Committee, Ferdinand Oshioke Orbih, described the ruling as a boost for Nigeria’s democracy.

Mr Orbih, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), said that the claimants had sought judicial endorsement of what he described as an illegal convention, but the court firmly rejected the move.

He said the judgment affirmed that the rule of law must prevail over political expediency, stressing that all actions and structures arising from the convention had been completely nullified.

The judgment follows a protracted crisis within the PDP, which held a contentious national elective convention in Ibadan in November 2025 despite existing court orders.

Previous judgements

The Federal High Court in Abuja presided over by James Omotosho had stopped the convention, saying its conduct would violate the Nigerian Constitution.

Also, Peter Life of Federal High Court in Abuja, ordered the suspension of the convention in a suit filed by former Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido.

Mr Lamido had challenged the process, alleging that he was denied the opportunity to purchase a nomination form to contest for the party’s chairmanship, in violation of the PDP constitution and guidelines.

However, on 4 November, 2025, an Oyo High Court in Ibadan presided over by A.L.Akintola, cleared the party to proceed with the national convention and asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to supervise it.

No cause for alarm – Turaki-led NWC

Meanwhile, The Turaki-led NWC has said it has directed its lawyers to immediately file an appeal on the judgment of Federal High Court, Ibadan, nullifying the party’s national convention.

The party, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, on Friday in Abuja, said that there was no cause for alarm, insisting that the outcome of the convention remained legally intact and unshaken.

“We are aware of the judgement of the Federal High Court, Ibadan, delivered this morning, which essentially declined to grant the order of mandamus sought on the ground that doing so would, in the court’s view, amount to sitting on appeal over judgments of courts of coordinate jurisdiction.

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“We have, accordingly, briefed our lawyers to immediately file an appeal and to take all further legal steps necessary to advance our arguments and firmly protect our position on this matter.

“Notwithstanding this judgement, the Turaki–led Peoples Democratic Party, which emerged from the Ibadan Convention, remains legally intact and unshaken, as we await the authoritative pronouncement of the appellate courts,” Mr Ememobong said.

He urged PDP members to remain resolute and committed, saying ‘there is absolutely no cause for alarm’.

Mr Ememobong added that the rebirth movement remained firmly on course.

(NAN)