The Court of Appeal has fixed February 12 to hear the ongoing conventional dispute over legitimacy and control in the People’s Democratic Party, PDP.
A three member appellate panel chaired by Justice Mohammed Danjuma scheduled the date for arguments in eight separate appeals challenging the November 15 and 16, 2025 gathering that produced the Tanimu Turaki led National Executive Committee.
At a sitting yesterday, the justices consolidated appeals rising from three contradictory High Court rulings and directed parties to adopt harmonised briefs, a procedural step viewed as essential to reaching a decisive judgment on the protracted leadership struggle.
The contested convention in Ibadan, Oyo State intensified divisions within the opposition party, splitting it between supporters aligned with Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde and loyalists connected to FCT Minister Nyesom Wike.
Earlier decisions from two Federal High Court judges in Abuja halted the planned assembly, while an Oyo State High Court authorised it and instructed the Independent National Electoral Commission to observe and acknowledge the outcome of the exercise.
Justice James Omotosho ruled that INEC should not accept the results of any convention in breach of the law, emphasizing that a suit challenging the executive decision of INEC is not an internal affair of a political party.”
In a separate order, Justice Olaniran Akintola barred actions that could truncate or frustrate the Guidelines, Timetable and Schedule of Activity and/or disrupt, prevent or stop the conduct of the Scheduled National Convention, while Justice Peter Lifu restrained proceedings over the exclusion of former Jigawa governor Sule Lamido.
The multiplicity of rulings deepened the PDP crisis and set the stage for an appellate confrontation expected to clarify the party’s leadership question and stabilise its internal structure ahead of future electoral contests.
