Appeal Court Reserves Verdict in PDP Convention Dispute

The Court of Appeal in Abuja on Thursday reserved judgment in nine appeals filed by opposing factions of the Peoples Democratic Party over earlier Federal High Court rulings that stopped the party’s national convention held on November 15 and 16, 2025, in Ibadan, Oyo State.

The appellate court said the date for judgment would be communicated to all parties after lawyers adopted their written arguments.

The appeals arose from decisions of the Federal High Court in Abuja which halted the convention that produced Tanimu Turaki (SAN) as National Chairman and other national officers of the party.

The lower court rulings followed suits filed by aggrieved party members who challenged the process leading to the convention.

One of the appeals, marked CA/ABJ/CV/1613/2025, was filed by the PDP, its National Working Committee and National Executive Committee against the Independent National Electoral Commission and several party members, including Austin Nwachukwu, Amah Abraham Nnanna, Turnah George, Samuel Anyanwu, Umar Damagum, Ali Odefa and Emmanuel Ogidi.

During the hearing, counsel to the appellants, Chief Chris Uche (SAN), adopted his brief and argued that the October 31, 2025 judgment delivered by Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court was made without jurisdiction.

He urged the appellate court to dismiss the preliminary objections raised by the respondents and to set aside the judgment of the trial court.

On their part, lawyers representing some of the respondents, including Joseph Daudu (SAN), asked the court to uphold their objections and dismiss the appeal. They argued that disputes over party leadership are internal matters and should not fall within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court. Other respondents also described the appeal as lacking merit and urged the court to dismiss it.

The nine appeals stem from three separate judgments delivered by Justices James Omotosho, Peter Lifu and Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court in Abuja.

In his ruling delivered in late October 2025, Justice Omotosho barred the PDP from conducting its planned national convention until it complied with provisions of its constitution and the Electoral Act.

The case was brought by three party members who claimed that the convention process breached electoral laws. The judge held that INEC has a duty to ensure that political parties follow the Constitution and the Electoral Act in organising their meetings, congresses and conventions.

He restrained INEC from accepting or recognising the outcome of any convention conducted outside laid-down procedures. He also ruled that proper notice of the convention must be jointly signed by both the national chairman and national secretary of the party.

The court found that congresses were not held in some states and that required notices were not properly issued. It further held that the PDP failed to give the mandatory 21-day notice to INEC before the convention.

In a separate decision delivered on November 11, 2025, Justice Peter Lifu also restrained the party from going ahead with the convention and barred INEC from supervising or recognising it.

That suit was filed by former Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido, who claimed he was denied the chance to purchase a nomination form for the position of national chairman.

The judge ruled that the party did not meet certain legal requirements, including the publication of a timetable, and held that the balance of convenience favoured the applicant.

The processes relating to the judgment of Justice Joyce Abdulmalik were also adopted before the appellate court, which decided to reserve judgment in all the appeals.

The outcome of the case will determine the validity of the PDP’s 2025 national convention and the leadership that emerged from it, as well as clarify the extent of the court’s power in matters involving the internal affairs of political parties and compliance with electoral laws.