PDP Leadership Crisis: Turaki- led Faction Heads To Appeal As Court Throws Out Suit

The leadership crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) deepened on Friday as the Federal High Court in Abuja struck out a suit seeking the recognition of the Tanimu Turaki-led Interim National Working Committee (INWC), prompting the faction to head for the Court of Appeal.

Justice Salim Olasupo Ibrahim upheld the preliminary objection raised by the defendants and ruled that the Federal High Court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the matter, holding that the dispute bordered on the leadership of the PDP, which is an internal affair of the party.

The suit was filed by the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT) Chairman, Senator Adolphus Wabara, alongside former Niger State Governor Babangida Aliyu, Prof. Jerry Gana, Chief Olabode George, Hajiya Maryam Ciroma, Hajiya Zainab Maina, Dame Esther Uduehi and other founding members.

The plaintiffs had sought, among other reliefs, an order directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise and publish the names of the Turaki-led Interim National Working Committee as the authentic leadership of the party.

In his judgment, Justice Ibrahim held that the plaintiffs lacked the legal standing to institute the suit on behalf of the PDP and failed to establish that INEC had recognised the purported interim leadership.

The judge also struck out the PDP as a plaintiff, ruling that those who instituted the action did not obtain the party’s authorisation to sue in its name.

Justice Ibrahim further held that the reliefs sought had become academic and would conflict with existing court judgments. He noted that the convention which produced the current party leadership was monitored by INEC, stressing that courts do not decide hypothetical or academic questions.

The court equally held that the suit was incompetent because it was commenced by originating summons despite the contentious nature of the issues before it.

Reacting to the judgment, the Tanimu  Turaki-led Interim National Working Committee said it received the decision with respect but expressed strong disagreement with the court’s conclusions, insisting that the ruling was inconsistent with extant decisions of the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court on similar issues.

In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Ini Ememobong, the faction disclosed that it had immediately directed its legal team to challenge the judgment before the Court of Appeal.

The statement read in part: “Today, the Federal High Court, Abuja Division, presided over by Justice Salim Olasupo Ibrahim, upheld the preliminary objection of the defendants and struck out the case filed by the Board of Trustees and some founding leaders of the party seeking, among other reliefs, the recognition of the Kabiru Turaki-led Interim National Working Committee.

“While we respect the judgment of the trial court, we respectfully consider that it is against the extant judgments of the Appeal Court and the Supreme Court, leaving the plaintiffs with no option but to appeal the judgment and the rulings therein.

“The plaintiffs have accordingly briefed their lawyers to take immediate steps to appeal the rulings and judgment.”

The faction maintained that the legal battle was not merely about occupying party offices but about safeguarding democratic principles and preserving the integrity of the opposition.

“We are hopeful that as we climb the ladder of the law upwards, the victory of truth over lies, principles over compromise and the survival of true opposition and multi-party democracy will be assured.

“The politics of power, money and greed may last for a while, but we are certain that though our victory may be postponed, as the struggle continues, we will eventually attain it. Aluta continua, Victoria ascerta!” the statement added.