AfriPulse
The Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has assumed control of the party’s leadership in the aftermath of a Supreme Court judgment.
The board said its action is in line with provisions of the PDP Constitution (as amended in 2017).
The development followed Thursday’s decision by the Supreme Court, which dismissed an appeal filed by the Tanimu Turaki-led executive challenging earlier rulings of lower courts on the party’s national convention.
The appeals and cross appeals arose from disputes over the failure of the Turaki-led faction to sell a national chairmanship nomination form to former Jigawa State governor, Sule Lamido, as well as a suit by four aggrieved members loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, who challenged the convention over lack of the mandatory 21-day notice to state executives.
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In a split ruling of three to two, the apex court held that the appeal lacked merit, declaring that the November 15 and 16, 2025 national convention was conducted in violation of subsisting court orders and was therefore null and void.
Delivering the lead judgment, Justice Stephen Adah faulted the party for abusing court processes by instituting a fresh action in another court instead of complying with an earlier directive by Justice Peter Lifu to suspend the planned convention and provide nomination forms for Sule Lamido.
However, Justices Haruna Tsammani and Sadiq Umar, in their dissenting opinions, held that the courts lacked jurisdiction, describing the matter as an internal affair of a political party. They also argued that the appellate court raised the issue of disobedience to court orders without giving parties the opportunity to address it.
In a related judgment, Justice Chioma Nwosu-Iheme criticised what she described as “flagrant” disobedience of court orders, abuse of court process and forum shopping by the party.
The case stemmed from an order by Justice James Omotosho in favour of four party members — Austin Nwachukwu (Imo PDP chairman), Amah Abraham Nnanna (Abia PDP chairman) and Turnah Alabh George (PDP Secretary, South-South) — who challenged the Ibadan convention that produced the Turaki-led executive for allegedly breaching the party’s constitution.
As of press time, an emergency meeting involving PDP stakeholders aligned with the Turaki faction was ongoing in Abuja.
Those in attendance reportedly included members of key party organs such as the BoT, the PDP Governors’ Forum, National Assembly caucus, National Executive Committee (NEC), National Caucus, state chairmen and ex-officio members.
Earlier, the BoT, through its Chairman, Senator Adolphus Wabara, announced its decision to take over party affairs pending the constitution of a caretaker committee.
In the statement by the chairman of the BOT, Senator Adolphus 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.”
It added: “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 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.
On its part, 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.
(DAILY TRUST)
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