The Kabiru Turaki-led Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, says the judgment of the Court of Appeal which nullified the party’s national convention held on November 15 and 16, 2025, in Ibadan, Oyo State in unacceptable.
The party has now headed for the nation’s apex court, the Supreme Court for the reversal of the judgment.
The magazine reports that the Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja, the nation’s capital ruled yesterday, to the effect that the Ibadan Convention was a nullity.
The judgment, according to political analysts was in favor of another faction of the party led by the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike which has set another convention for the end of March.
Reacting to the Appellate court judgment, spokesperson of the Turaki faction, Ini Ememobong, said in a statement that the party’s lawyers had been directed to challenge the Court of appeal ruling Supreme Court.
Ememobong said while the party is still consulting with major stakeholders, it has directed its lawyers to file an appeal at the nation’s apex court, saying the judgment will have negative impact on its members.
He said: “The operationalisation of this judgment will, without fail, impose untold hardship on our members.
“To avert this, while we consult with critical organs of our party on the way forward, we have instructed our lawyers to immediately take the necessary legal steps to appeal to the Supreme Court, the apex court in the land, for a final determination of the matter.”
Wike had following yesterday judgment announced that the party will hold another convention before the end of March.
According to him, the PDP leadership is working towards organising a fresh national convention scheduled for March 29 and 30, 2026, where new national officers would be elected in accordance with the law and the party’s constitution.
Wike stated that the convention would be held at the Velodrome of the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, adding that arrangements had already been concluded for the exercise.
“We have already established the National Caretaker Committee. When the tenure of the National Working Committee expired, we said the law does not allow for a vacuum.
“The caretaker committee was recognised by the Federal High Court to run the party until new officers are elected,” he said.
Wike, also, advised that the judgment of the Court of Appeal affirming the nullification of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) national convention held in Ibadan provides an opportunity for the party to rebuild and restore unity among its members.
Wike, who spoke with Journalists in Abuja on Monday, maintained that the ruling confirmed that the convention conducted by the PDP in November 2025 could not stand because the party failed to comply with statutory provisions guiding such exercises.
According to him, the court’s decision reaffirmed the need for political parties to strictly adhere to the provisions of the 1999 Constitution, the Electoral Act 2022, as well as their internal rules and guidelines.
“When you do not comply with what the law says, it cannot stand. It does not matter who is chairman or who is not chairman. What matters is compliance with the law,” Wike said.
The minister explained that the court established that necessary procedures, including the conduct of valid congresses in some states and proper notice to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), were not followed before the convention was held.
He added that once such legal requirements are ignored, the matter goes beyond internal party affairs and becomes an issue of compliance with the law.
Wike described the development as a significant moment for the party, saying it reaffirmed the supremacy of due process and the rule of law.
“Today is one of my happiest days because, as a party that claims to uphold democratic principles, we must not condone impunity. We must follow due process and allow the rule of law to prevail,” he said.
Wike recalled that he had earlier warned that steps taken in violation of the law would eventually be set aside by the courts.
“You cannot rely on money or power and assume that because you are a governor or a powerful figure you can do anything. I thank God that the law has spoken.”
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