Court Restrains Turaki-Led PDP Faction From Entering National Secretariat
The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered that the faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led by Kabiru Turaki be barred from accessing the party’s national secretariat in Abuja.
The ruling, delivered on Monday by Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, came in response to a suit filed by a group loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
The court also directed security agencies, including the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) and the State Security Service (SSS), to ensure that the Wike-aligned faction has full protection while exercising its rights to the party’s national headquarters.
Justice Abdulmalik ruled that the national convention organized by the Turaki-led faction on November 15–16, 2025, in Ibadan, and the subsequent election of party officials, violated court orders and was therefore null and void. She emphasized that the event contravened Section 287(3) of the Nigerian Constitution and the PDP’s constitution.
The judge described the expulsion of Wike and his allies during the convention as an open defiance of the court, stating:
“The expulsion of the plaintiffs’ members is not only an affront to the subsisting judgment but a direct assault on democratic principles and the rule of law.”
She further declared that all actions, resolutions, and decisions taken during the convention, including the suspension of certain members, are unconstitutional, unlawful, and of no effect.
The suit was filed by the Wike faction, led by acting National Chairman Alhaji Mohammed Abdulrahman, along with the factional National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu. The plaintiffs sought to prevent the Turaki-led group from accessing the national secretariat, representing the PDP in any official capacity, or submitting alternative office addresses to INEC.
Earlier, Justice Abdulmalik had granted an ex-parte motion preventing any action until the matter was fully heard. The Turaki faction subsequently appealed the ruling and requested a stay of proceedings. They also asked the judge to recuse herself, alleging bias—a motion the court rejected, citing lack of credible evidence.
In her judgment, Justice Abdulmalik reaffirmed that the Federal High Court’s rulings, as well as subsequent Court of Appeal affirmations, must be respected. She held that a party’s constitution is binding on its members, and the Wike faction’s claims were therefore meritorious.
“The defendants are obligated to comply with existing court judgments. The purported convention and all its outcomes, including the election of officers and suspension of members, are null, void, and unconstitutional,” the judge ruled.
Justice Abdulmalik also affirmed the right of the Wike faction to occupy the party’s national secretariat and continue its operations without interference. On the matter of alleged judicial bias, she noted that suspicion alone does not constitute proof, stating:
“Allegations of bias must be supported by cogent and credible evidence. No such evidence was presented.”
The ruling comes after a series of previous judgments, including by Justices James Omotosho and Peter Lifu in 2025, which similarly barred the Turaki-led faction from holding the national convention. Despite these rulings, the Turaki group proceeded with its convention, electing its officers and suspending Wike allies over alleged anti-party activities.
The Wike-aligned PDP faction, on the other hand, conducted its own convention on Sunday, where Abdulrahman was confirmed as the substantive national chairman.
