The Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, is set to take a key step in resolving the protracted leadership crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) by adopting harmonised briefs filed by the rival factions on Thursday.
The development follows a sitting of the court in Abuja, which was attended by leaders of the party, including the governors-backed national chairman, Tanimu Turaki (SAN), members of the National Working Committee (NWC), and governors such as Bala Mohammed (Bauchi) and Seyi Makinde (Oyo).
The Turaki-led faction seeks recognition as the authentic leadership following a Federal High Court ruling in Ibadan that nullified the November 2025 convention which brought its NWC into office. The Court of Appeal will harmonise appeals arising from three conflicting High Court judgments, two delivered in Abuja by Justices Peter Lifu and James Omotosho, and one in Ibadan by Justice Uche.
In the Abuja rulings, the courts barred the Turaki faction from holding the PDP’s national convention in Ibadan, citing violations of party guidelines and subsisting court orders. Conversely, Justice Uche of Ibadan nullified the convention after it took place and restrained officials elected from presenting themselves as national officers.
The conflicting decisions have deepened the PDP’s leadership crisis, with rival factions claiming authority over the party’s national secretariat and operations. While the Turaki faction insists it represents the authentic leadership, a camp aligned with FCT Minister Nyesom Wike has continued to challenge its legitimacy.
To streamline proceedings and prevent further legal contradictions, a three-member panel of the Court of Appeal directed the Turaki group to harmonise its appeals and ordered all parties to align their processes for a unified hearing. At Thursday’s sitting, both factions are expected to formally adopt their briefs of argument, after which the court will set a date for judgment.
The leadership tussle within the PDP dates back to the aftermath of the party’s defeat in the 2023 presidential election, which exposed cracks over zoning, the role of governors, and control of the national secretariat. The crisis was further aggravated by Wike’s public support for President Bola Tinubu and his continued influence within the party.
The outcome of the Court of Appeal proceedings will determine the legitimate leadership of the PDP and shape the party’s internal balance ahead of off-cycle governorship elections and the 2027 general election.
