Ibadan Court Judgement Reignites PDP’s Internal Rift

The split within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) resurfaced yesterday after a Federal High Court judgement in Ibadan, Oyo State, annulled the party’s national convention held last year in the state.

The court sacked the Kabiru Tanimu Turaki-led National Working Committee which was elected at the convention held in Ibadan on November 15 and 16, 2025.

While the Turaki-led PDP said it would appeal the judgement, the rival camp led by the minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, said the judgement was a welcome development.

Both camps lay claim to the party’s leadership, having been at loggerheads leading to last year’s national convention.

While the convention elected the Kabiru Tanimu Turaki-led National Working Committee, the Wike-led camp set up a national caretaker committee with Hon Abdullrahman Mohammed as chairman.

Reacting to the judgement however, the national publicity secretary of the Turaki-led NWC, Comrade Ini Ememobong, said the party’s lawyers had been briefed to file an appeal against the judgement, adding that there isn’t a cause for alarm.

“We are aware of the judgment of the Federal High Court, Ibadan, delivered this morning, which essentially declined to grant the order of mandamus sought on the ground that doing so would, in the court’s view, amount to sitting on appeal over judgments of courts of coordinate jurisdiction,” Ememobong said.

He added, “We have accordingly briefed our lawyers to immediately file an appeal and to take all further legal steps necessary to advance our arguments and firmly protect our position on this matter.”

The party spokesman however insisted that the NWC elected at the Ibadan convention, is still legally intact and unshaken.

“Notwithstanding this judgment, the Kabiru Turaki–led Peoples Democratic Party, which emerged from the Ibadan Convention, remains legally intact and unshaken, as we await the authoritative pronouncement of the appellate courts.”

On its part, the Wike-led PDP said judgement is a triumph of the rule of law.

The camp in a statement by its national publicity secretary, Jungude Haruna Mohammed, said the court’s restraining of the Turaki-led camp from parading themselves as PDP National Working Committee and recognising Abdulrahman Mohammed Led Caretaker Committee as the legitimate leadership of the Party is a landmark judgement which represents a decisive victory fo the rule of law, constitutionalism, and internal party democracy.

He said, “It reaffirms the long-standing position of the PDP that legitimacy can only be derived from strict compliance with the Constitution of the Party, Extant Laws, and Valid Court Orders as against seeking for Self-Help through impersonation, or unlawful assertions of authority.”

The spokesman added that the caretaker committee congratulates all its members and supporters for their patience, resilience, and unwavering faith in due process throughout this period, and further called on all members to remain calm, law-abiding, and united as they move forward in the spirit of reconciliation, progress, and renewed commitment to the ideals of our great Party.

“We appeal to all aggrieved members to sheath their swords as this victory belongs to the entire PDP family Our doors remain open for genuine reconciliation and integration. This will strengthen unity, deepen internal cohesion, and refocus collective efforts toward building a stronger and more formidable PDP.

“We commend the Judiciary for once again rising to its constitutional responsibility as the impartial arbiter in political and constitutional disputes,” he said.