By David Akinadewo-Adekahunsi

The Court of Appeal in Abuja on Monday affirmed the judgment that barred the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from proceeding with the national convention it held in Ibadan, Oyo State, on November 15 and 16, 2026.

The convention had produced a factional leadership for the party, with Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Taminu Turaki, as National Chairman.

In a unanimous decision, a three-member panel of the appellate court held that the statutory conditions required for the convention were not fulfilled before it was conducted.

The panel ruled that Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja was right in the judgment he delivered on October 31, 2025, which restrained the party from holding the planned convention.

It also dismissed the argument by the Turaki-led faction that the court lacked jurisdiction to interfere in the internal affairs of the party.

According to the appellate court, the trial court properly assumed jurisdiction since the suit sought to ensure compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act, the 1999 Constitution (as amended), as well as the guidelines and regulations guiding political parties.

The court held that the substantive suit that led to the intervention of the Federal High Court had merit.

Consequently, the appellate panel led by Justice Mohammed Danjuma dismissed the appeal marked CA/ABJ/CV/1613/2025 filed by the Turaki-led faction of the PDP and awarded a cost of N2 million against the appellants.

Justice Omotosho had earlier ruled that the PDP failed to comply with relevant statutory provisions and guidelines before proceeding with the convention.

The suit was filed by three aggrieved members of the party: Hon. Austin Nwachukwu, Chairman of PDP in Imo State; Hon. Amah Abraham Nnanna, Chairman of PDP in Abia State; and Turnah Alabh George, PDP Secretary in the South-South.

The plaintiffs are said to be aligned with a faction of the party loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.

In its judgment, the Federal High Court faulted the PDP for failing to conduct valid state congresses in 14 states before fixing the national convention.

The court held that it was impossible for the convention to hold when congresses meant to produce delegates who would elect national officers had not been conducted across the affected states.

It further noted that the notice for the convention was signed only by the National Chairman of the party without the endorsement of the National Secretary.

Justice Omotosho ruled that such notices and correspondences were invalid in the eyes of the law, adding that the failure to comply with laid-down procedures placed the convention in jeopardy.

He subsequently directed the PDP to put its internal processes in order and to serve the statutory 21-day notice of meetings and congresses on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to enable the commission to monitor the process.

The defendants in the suit included INEC, the PDP, its National Chairman, Ambassador Umar Iliya Damagum; National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu; National Organising Secretary, Umar Bature; as well as two national officers of the party, Ali Odefa and Emmanuel Ogidi.

Also listed were the National Working Committee (NWC) and the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party.

The plaintiffs had argued that the 1999 Constitution (as amended) requires INEC to monitor congresses conducted by political parties before such exercises can be considered valid.

They maintained that no valid notice was served on INEC ahead of the planned convention.

The court agreed with their position and dismissed the preliminary objections filed by the defendants challenging its jurisdiction.

It also restrained INEC from receiving, publishing or recognising the outcome of the convention scheduled for Ibadan until the PDP complied with the relevant laws and regulations.

The court stressed that INEC was not obligated to recognise the outcome of any convention conducted without strict adherence to the provisions of the Constitution, the Electoral Act 2022 and its own guidelines.

However, shortly after the initial judgment was delivered, the PDP secured a contradictory court order that allowed the convention to proceed.

The Turaki-led faction later filed an appeal against the ruling, which the Court of Appeal has now dismissed.