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From Godwin Tsa Abuja
The Supreme Court has reserved its judgment in the two appeals by the Tanimu Turaki led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) seeking validation of the outcome of the Ibadan, Oyo State national convention of the party on November 15 and 16, 2025.
The first appeal heard on Wednesday is marked: SC/CV/164/2026 filed by the PDP against the Court of Appeal’s decision, which affirmed the judgment of Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court, Abuja barring the PDP from proceeding with its national convention without accommodating the ex-governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido.
The second appeal, marked:SC/CV/166/2026 was filed by the PDP, its National Working Committee (NWC) and National Executive Committee (NEC) against the judgment of the Court of Appeal, Abuja, which affirmed the earlier decision by Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from monitoring the Ibadan convention pending when conditions precedent were met.
The court also heard the cross appeals filed by some respondents in both appeals.
Specifically, the multiple appeals are
seeking to set aside the judgments of the Court of Appeal, Abuja voiding the national convention held in Ibadan Oyo State in November last year.
The court also heard the cross appeals filed by some respondents in both appeals.
A five-member panel of the apex court, headed by Justice Mohammed Lawal Garba—which had on April 14 approved an expedited hearing of the appeal—reserved the matter for judgment after all parties argued and adopted their respective briefs of argument.
After counsel had adopted their various briefs of arguments for and against the appeal, the panel held that the judgment date would be communicated to the parties.
While adopting their brief of argument filed on April 2, the appellants, through their team of lawyers led by Chief Paul Erokoro, SAN, urged the Supreme Court not only to allow their appeal but also to dismiss a cross-appeal lodged against them by a faction of the party aligned with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.
Meanwhile, Lamido, who was represented by Mr. J. C. Njikonye, SAN, as well as the Wike-backed faction, represented by Mr. J. B. Daudu, SAN, filed preliminary objections seeking dismissal of the appeal.
The respondents insisted that, contrary to the contention by the Turaki-led group, the appeal did not fall within the sphere of the PDP’s internal affairs.
It was the respondents’ position that both the high court and the appellate court had rightly exercised jurisdiction over the matter.
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At the trial court, Justice Peter Lifu of the Abuja division of the Federal High Court barred INEC from supervising, monitoring, or recognizing any convention held without including former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido as a contestant.
The restraining order followed a suit filed by Lamido, a foundation member of the PDP, alleging he had been arbitrarily denied the chance to contest for National Chairman.
Justice Lifu found that Lamido had been unjustly denied a nomination form, contrary to the PDP Constitution and guidelines.
As a consequential order, Justice Lifu halted the convention to allow Lamido to obtain the form, mobilize supporters, and campaign.
Dissatisfied with the decision, the Turaki-led PDP filed an appeal to set it aside.
Dismissing the appeal, the appellate court held that the PDP had resorted to self-help and contemptuous conduct by proceeding with the convention despite the restraining order.
The Court of Appeal had in it’s judgment now on appeal, berated the PDP for defying the November 14, 2025, judgment of Justice Peter Lifu of the high court, which stopped the Ibadan convention.
It ruled that the party should have sought suspension of the judgment from a higher court, rather than obtaining a favorable order from another court of coordinate jurisdiction.
