*PDP Professionals Want INEC To Immediately Recognise Turaki-led Exco
THE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) faction loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has dismissed the judgment of the Oyo State High Court, validating the party’s convention in Ibadan, last year, describing it as inconsequential and of no binding effect.
The caretaker committee, led by Mohammed Abdulrahman and Samuel Anyanwu, in a statement on Friday, February 27, by its National Publicity Secretary, Jungudo Mohammed, insisted that the November 2025 convention remained invalid.
It stressed that judgments of the Federal High Court had earlier barred the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from attending or monitoring the exercise, thereby making the recent court’s ruling ineffectual on the issue.
Recall that an Oyo State High Court in Ibadan, earlier in the day, upheld the November 15 and 16 convention in Ibadan, during which a National Working Committee (NWC), led by Tanimu Turaki was elected.
Justice Ladiran Akintola of Court 5, shortly after deciding on an application seeking Joinder in the matter, granted all 13 reliefs sought by the claimant, Folahan Malomo Adelabi, through his Counsel, Musbau Adetunmbi.
But the Wike-backed faction said the judgment does not bind INEC and was therefore of no significance in relation to the matters in dispute, noting: “The judgment is an inconsequential development and is best described as a mere academic exercise.
“It is important to state clearly that the court that delivered today’s judgment was the same court that earlier granted an interim order to Damagum and his co-travellers, permitting them to proceed with their Amala Convention held on the 15th and 16th of November 2025, despite two valid Federal High Court judgments. So, this is not news.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the said judgment does not bind the IINEC, as it was neither joined nor represented as a party in the suit.
“To say the least, INEC challenged the jurisdiction of the Oyo State High Court, which the court later agreed to in a ruling delivered by the Judge and subsequently struck out the name of INEC.
“A judgment that does not bind INEC is of no consequence whatsoever as far as the issues at stake are concerned. The judgment has no legal effect whatsoever on the conduct, monitoring or recognition of any party convention purported to have been held on the 15th and 16th of November 2026.
“It bears reiterating that INEC has already complied with two subsisting judgments of the Federal High Court in Abuja, which expressly restrained the Commission from attending, monitoring or recognising the outcome of the purported convention.
“INEC has equally complied with the judgment of the Federal High Court, Ibadan, which nullified the said convention and restrained Kabiru Turaki and his associates from parading themselves as leaders of the party.
“In light of the foregoing, the National Caretaker Working Committee of the party wishes to assure loyal party members and the general public that all arrangements towards the conduct of congresses and the national convention have reached an advanced stage.”
However, the Conference of Professionals in the Peoples Democratic Party (CP-PDP) described the judgment as a triumph of justice, rule of law and the will of PDP members nationwide.
In a statement in Abuja, the group’s National Coordinator, Obinna Nwachukwu, asked INEC to immediately give recognition to the Turaki-led NWC produced by the convention.
According to the statement: “It was imperative to draw the attention of Nigerians and all political stakeholders to the declaratory order of the judgment. The court ruled that the November 15th and 16th, 2025, national convention of the PDP was legal and valid.
“Consequently, the outcome is binding and must be given effect by INEC and all other authorities or persons duty-bound to relate with the PDP.
“In light of the foregoing, the CP-PDP demands that INEC respect this express and unambiguous pronouncement of the court. INEC should immediately give effect to the outcome of the 2025 national convention by recognising the Kabiru Turaki-led NWC as the legitimately elected leadership of the party.
“Furthermore, INEC should henceforth accord all recognition and limit official correspondence to the Turaki-led NWC on all matters regarding the PDP. This is based on the fact that the judgment of the Oyo State High Court is the latest ruling by a court of concurrent jurisdiction on the matter.
“Additionally, the CP-PDP calls on the Police, following this judgment, to unseal the national secretariats of the PDP in Abuja (Wadata Plaza and Legacy House).
“The Police must allow the Turaki-led NWC access to the complex to perform its legitimate duty of running the affairs of the party, while also ensuring the NWC is provided with adequate security guaranteed by the 1999 Constitution.
“The CP-PDP commends the judiciary for its courage in upholding the national convention in line with the rule of law and the principle of the supremacy of a political party over its internal affairs, as the Supreme Court has already established.”
Recall that on January 30, a Federal High Court in Ibadan nullified the convention and ordered Turaki and others to cease parading themselves as national officers of the party.
Before then, PDP governors had backed the Ibadan convention and also overseen a transition from former chairman, Umar Damagum, to Turaki, ahead of Damagum’s tenure expiration on December 9.
However, the Wike-backed faction constituted a 13-member caretaker committee on December 8, with Mohammed as acting national chairman, Anyanwu as acting secretary, with a 60-day mandate.
Attempts by both factions to convene at Wadata Plaza on November 18 degenerated into physical clashes, forcing the Police sealed the secretariat.
Both factions later sought INEC’s recognition, which it declined, resulting in prolonged legal battles ahead of the 2027 general elections.
