The Tanimu Turaki-led National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has filed an appeal against a Federal High Court ruling that annulled the party’s November 2025 convention and recognised a caretaker committee supported by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
Speaking to journalists on Friday, Turaki asserted that despite the court’s verdict, the PDP remains legally intact and its leadership unshaken as it awaits decisions from the appellate courts.
The Federal High Court sitting in Ibadan had earlier on Friday invalidated the PDP National Convention held on November 15, 2025, in Ibadan, Oyo State. The court also ordered Turaki and other officials to cease presenting themselves as national officers of the party.
Justice Uche Agomoh ruled that the caretaker committee, headed by Mohammed Abdulrahman and Samuel Anyanwu, remains the officially recognised National Working Committee of the PDP until a valid national convention is conducted.
The Ibadan convention had the backing of PDP governors, where Turaki and his NWC team were elected for a four-year term. However, Wike, together with Abdulrahman and Anyanwu, insisted that they continue in office as acting national chairman and national secretary, respectively.
Despite a smooth transition overseen by the governors from former PDP chairman Umar Damagum to Turaki before Damagum’s tenure ended on December 9, 2025, the Wike-aligned faction had on December 8 constituted a 13-member caretaker committee with a 60-day mandate. Both factions have been seeking recognition from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which has yet to endorse either group.
Several court cases have since been filed to settle the leadership dispute ahead of the 2027 general election.
Responding to the ruling, Turaki described the decision as largely academic and called on the Court of Appeal to consolidate all pending party-related cases to deliver a single binding verdict. He revealed that the NWC has filed a Notice of Appeal and a Motion for Stay of Execution, intending to pursue the matter to its legal conclusion.
He explained that the objective of the legal action was to obtain a court order directing INEC to recognise the Ibadan convention, thereby enabling official party communications with the commission. Turaki emphasised that the ruling conflicts with existing court orders and previous judgments on the matter.
“For clarity, this judgment is only one among several Federal High Court decisions on the matter, and the primary issues are already before the Court of Appeal. In that sense, this particular judgment is technically academic, pending the appellate court’s authoritative pronouncement,” he said.
Turaki assured PDP members that the NWC elected at the Ibadan convention remains legally intact and committed to the party’s ongoing rebirth. He urged party members nationwide to stay calm, noting that the Rebirth movement continues to make steady progress.
On pending appeals, Turaki stated he has no concerns, highlighting that all legal briefs have been filed and that the cases are ready for hearing. He called for consolidation of appeals to produce one binding decision that would resolve related disputes across courts in Nigeria.
Meanwhile, Wike’s faction welcomed the ruling, urging party members to embrace unity, reconciliation, and due process. The Mohammed-led PDP Caretaker Committee, through its National Publicity Secretary Jungude Mohammed, reaffirmed that the party’s legitimacy is grounded in compliance with the PDP Constitution, existing laws, and valid court orders.
“The landmark judgment nullifying the Ibadan convention represents a victory for the rule of law and internal party democracy. We congratulate our members for their patience and resilience and call on everyone to remain calm, law-abiding, and united as we pursue reconciliation and strengthen the PDP,” the statement read.
The caretaker committee also commended the judiciary for upholding its constitutional role as an impartial arbiter in political and constitutional disputes.
