Israel Umoh
Fresh Supreme Court ruling has sent Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) aspirants to limbo following planned take-over of the party’s leadership by Board of Trustees (BoT).
Shortly after the court ruling on Thursday, Adolphus Wabara-led BoT decided to take over the party leadership pursuant to the empowering provisions of the Constitution of the PDP (As amended in 2017).
The Apex court had dismissed the appeal brought by the Tanimu Turaki-led executive of the PDP challenging the verdicts against the lower courts on its national convention.
In a split decision of three against two, the panel held that the appeal lacks merit, adding that as the national convention of the party of November 15 and 16, 2025, was done in violation of subsisting court orders, it was null and void.
In the lead judgement read by Justice Stephen Adah, the justices also criticised the action of the party for abuse of court processes by filing a fresh action in another court rather than the order by Justice Peter Lifu to suspend its planned convention and provide nomination forms for a national chairmanship aspirant, Sule Lamido.
In their dissenting judgements, Justices Haruna Tsammani and Sadiq Umar and another held that the courts lacked the jurisdiction to entertain the dispute being an internal affair of a political party.
They noted that the appellate court, on its own, raised the issue of disobedience of court order, without allowing the parties to address it on the matter as required by law.
Delivering judgement on the appeal challenging another order of a Federal High Court barring the party from the convention, Justice Chioma Nowsu-Iheme criticised the forum for the “flagrant” disobedience of the court order, abuse of court process and forum shopping by the party”.
The appeal emanated from the order of Justice James Omotosho in favour of the four members of the party including Austin Nwachukwu (Imo PDP chairman), Amah Abraham Nnanna (Abia PDP chairman) and Turnah Alabh George (PDP Secretary, South-South) challenged the national convention of the party fixed for Ibadan, Oyo State on November 15 and 16, 2025, and which produced the Tanimu Turaki-led executive for being a violation of the party’s constitution without due notice for state congresses.
The Board of Trustees, through its Chairman, Senator Wabara, had issued a statement regarding the takeover of party affairs pending the appointment of a caretaker committee.
In the statement, Wabara, the advisory board said the intervention of the BoT is to avoid leadership vacuum at the national level of the party following judgment of the Supreme Court.
“Sadly, the Supreme Court, today delivered an unpleasant judgment against our party in which it pronounced an invalidation of the 15th to 16th November 2025 National Convention of the PDP held in Ibadan, Oyo State, which produced the Kabiru Tanimu Turaki-led National Working Committee of our Party.
“While the Supreme Court invalidated the Ibadan Convention, it also in a unanimous decision of the five justices on the panel, upheld the suspension of Senator Samuel Anyanwu, Umar Bature, Kamaldeen Ajibade as National Secretary, National Organizing Secretary and National Legal Adviser respectively from the party.
“The implication of today’s (Thursday) judgment by the Supreme Court is that all actions taken by Senator Samuel Anyanwu, Umar Bature and Barr. Kamaldeen Ajibade, including the appointment of Abdulrahman Mohammed, as acting National Chairman, the composition of the National Caretaker Working Committee and the conduct and outcome of the March 29th, 2026 Convention in Abuja are illegal, null and ab initio void.”
“The consequential invalidation of both the Abdulrahman Mohammed-led as well as the Kabiru Tanimu Turaki-led Working Committees directly places the statutory onus of leadership of our great party on the shoulders of the Board of Trustees (BoT) as the Second Highest Organ of the Party, pursuant to the express and unambiguous provision of Section 32 (5) of the PDP Constitution (as amended in 2017).
“Against this backdrop, the BoT hereby immediately assumes responsibility of the national working leadership of the PDP as immediate constitutional remedial steps to foster genuine reconciliation, salvage, stabilize and return the party to good political health,” it added.
It said consequently, all staff of the PDP are directed to resume at the national secretariat of the party under the leadership of the BoT ahead of the appointment of the Interim National Working Committee.
The BoT commended Governors Bala Mohammed and Seyi Makinde, the National Assembly caucus and all stakeholders for standing strong for the party.
BoT handicapped to sign aspirant’s nomination form
Court Judgement, a major setback to PDP
However, a political scientist, Professor Abubakar Kari, described the judgment as a major setback that could hinder the party’s preparedness for upcoming electoral activities.
Speaking in an interview with Daily Trust correspondent, Kari said the ruling, which reportedly nullified the contending factions within the party, leaves the PDP in a precarious position with no clear national leadership.
“Well, for me, it’s bad news for PDP actually. Because I don’t know whether they will be able to recover in good time to face the very loaded election timetable,” he said.
He noted that the development comes at a critical period when the party is expected to undertake key activities requiring the involvement of its National Executive Committee.
“There are several events and things that are supposed to happen within the next one or two months, and they require the participation of national executive committees and so on,” he added.
Kari warned that the absence of a recognised leadership structure could make it difficult for the party to effectively position itself for the challenges ahead.
“I think the party will struggle to position itself well and favourably for the task ahead,” he said.
On possible solutions, Kari said some stakeholders have proposed that the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT) should step in to stabilise the situation.
“As I said, some people have the opinion that a quick way out is for the Board of Trustees to take charge, because they appear to be the only legitimate formal organ of the party that is not dismantled,” he stated.
“A lot depends on the immediate response from the two factions. Because if they respond in a way that escalates the problem, then it will be too bad. But if the judgment has made them sober and to reflect and to appreciate the need for a quick, amicable resolution, then it will be better,” he said.
Kari expressed support for the BoT option, stressing the need to preserve the PDP as a viable opposition force in Nigeria’s democracy.
“Yes, I am aligning with it because PDP is about the oldest party in the Fourth Republic. It’s just too important of a party to be allowed to peter away or to die that way. It will be unfortunate. It will not be good for Nigeria’s democracy,” he said.
He added that strengthening opposition parties remains crucial to the country’s democratic development.
He maintained that the Board of Trustees remains “the most realistic and quickest solution” to resolving the party’s leadership crisis and restoring stability.
Wike-backed BoT calls for unity
The Wike-backed Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) welcomed Thursday’s Supreme Court judgment affirming earlier court rulings that nullified the party’s national convention held in Ibadan, Oyo State, in November 2025.
In a statement issued yesterday by its Chairman, Senator Mao Ohuabunwa, the BOT said the apex court’s decision reaffirmed the judgments of both the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal, which had earlier declared the convention invalid.
“The legal position remains clear and unambiguous: the said Ibadan Convention stands nullified, and any structure emanating therefrom has no legal foundation,” the statement said.
Following the judgment, the BoT said the party’s leadership under Alhaji Abdulrahman Mohammed as National Chairman and Senator Samuel Nnaemeka Anyanwu as National Secretary remains the legitimate national leadership of the PDP.
The trustees said the ruling had provided clarity on the party’s leadership structure and would help stabilise its internal affairs ahead of future political engagements.
According to the statement, the PDP remains operational through its constitutionally recognised organs in line with the party’s 2017 amended constitution.
The BoT also assured members that steps would be taken within the framework of the constitution to reinforce party unity, organisational stability and preparedness for future elections.
In a move aimed at mending internal divisions, the BOT directed the National Working Committee (NWC) to immediately constitute a National Reconciliation Committee to engage aggrieved members across the country.
“This is a moment for discipline, loyalty, and collective commitment to the ideals and future of the party,” the statement added.
The BoT urged party faithful to remain calm, united and focused on rebuilding confidence within the PDP.
The board further described the PDP as a resilient political platform committed to its longstanding role in Nigeria’s democratic development.
The leadership crisis within the opposition party had deepened after the disputed Ibadan convention, which created parallel claims to party structures and intensified legal battles over the legitimacy of its leadership.
We will resist Wabara’s attempt to take over party – Jungudo
The National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, backed by the FCT Minister, has vowed to resist the move by the former Senate President, Adolphus Wabara and the BoT members to take over the party.
Jungudo Haruna Mohammed, told Daily Trust that “They are have always exhibited such law breaking attitude. The last time Governor Bala Mohammed led them to invade the National Secretariat, in a gangster manner.
“They have always disobeyed court ruling. Wabara, as a leader is calling for people to invade the Wadata Plaza. Tomorrow, if they come. We will give it to them the way they want it.”
BoT to provide leadership – Turaki camp
Earlier, before the Bot met, the faction of the PDP under the leadership of Turaki, said it was certain that the existing organs of the party will take the necessary steps to salvage the party and confer leadership on it going forward.
“This leads the vehicle of our party towards a dangerous bend, which, if not carefully navigated, may not only affect the party but also multi-party democracy in our country.”
Comrade Ini Ememobong, spokesperson for the Turaki-led faction, said the existing organs of the party will take the necessary steps to salvage the party and confer leadership on it going forward.
Ememobong said with the split judgment, which also upheld the Court of Appeal’s suspension of Ajibade, SAN, Anyanwu, and others, “this effectively leaves the PDP as a party without a defined leadership.
Also speaking, Prof. Saleh Dauda, a professor of Political Science and International Relations at University of Abuja, said the leadership of the party now resides with the Board of Trustees (BoT) and the two factions should go back to the drawing board for possible reconciliation.
He said, “From what I read, the court nullified the Ibadan convention and also upheld the suspension of the PDP National Secretary, (Samuel) Anyawu and some other officials. So any action taken by Anyawu stands null and void. Therefore, the convention that was held by that group (in Abuja) is also null and void.
“The leadership now has been passed to the BoT. That is the only surviving organ of the party. So such a case, to me, has created a window for the PDP factions to come together and settle their differences. If not, they will continue to fight endlessly and they would have nothing to offer.
“As it is now, let us be very frank, PDP has been wounded and sliced to a very thin object. There are not many people there. I’m not thinking of this 2027, but if the PDP can be restored in post-2027, it will be a viable opposition. It still has some level of structure in almost all the states of the federation and if properly managed, the PDP can come next to ADC in terms of opposition politics in Nigeria.”
