The Supreme Court has set April 22, 2026, to hear two separate appeals filed by a faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led by Kabiru Turaki, challenging earlier court rulings that nullified the party’s Ibadan National Convention held in November 2025.
A five-member panel of the apex court, headed by Justice Lawal Garba, approved the faction’s request for an accelerated hearing. The court also granted permission to shorten the timeline for filing legal briefs in order to fast-track the matter.
In the first appeal, which pits the Turaki-led faction against a rival group aligned with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, the court directed that hearing notices be served on Mohammed Abdulrahman, listed as the seventh respondent, who was absent during the proceedings.
During the session, counsel to the Turaki faction, Chris Uche (SAN), drew the court’s attention to pending applications and stressed the urgency of resolving the dispute in view of the Independent National Electoral Commission’s timetable ahead of the 2027 general elections. He also submitted an affidavit highlighting the need for expedited consideration.
Lawyer to some of the respondents, Emmanuel Ukala (SAN), requested a 15-day extension to file a response, citing the need to obtain relevant records from the appellate court’s judgment that voided the Ibadan convention. However, the Supreme Court directed all nine respondents to submit their replies within five days each.
The court subsequently fixed April 22 for the hearing of the appeal.
In a separate but related case involving the same faction and former Jigawa State governor, Sule Lamido, the court also granted accelerated hearing and scheduled it for the same date.
Lamido had challenged his exclusion from the race for the party’s national chairmanship, a development that prompted legal action and led to court orders halting the convention.
Earlier decisions by both the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal had gone against the Turaki faction. The rulings invalidated the Ibadan convention, barred the electoral body from recognising its outcomes, and, in some instances, restricted access to the party’s national secretariat.
The Turaki group is now asking the Supreme Court to overturn those decisions, arguing that the dispute concerns internal party matters that should not be subject to judicial intervention, while maintaining that due process was followed in organising the convention.
The controversy dates back to October 2025 when a Federal High Court in Abuja stopped the PDP faction led by Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde and Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed from proceeding with the planned convention.
The presiding judge held that the party failed to conduct valid state congresses as required by the 1999 Constitution, electoral guidelines, and its own internal rules.
Subsequent rulings reinforced the position. A separate order temporarily restrained the party from holding the convention, pending the determination of a suit filed by Lamido. Days later, a final order was issued stopping the event entirely.
In the judgment, the court found that Lamido had been unfairly denied the opportunity to obtain a nomination form to contest for the position of national chairman, describing the action as a violation of the party’s constitution and internal regulations.