The Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday again nullified the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) convention held in Ibadan, Oyo State, in November 2025, and barred the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising its outcome, including the leadership election conducted at the event.
Judge Joyce Abdulmalik issued the orders in her judgement in the suit instituted by the faction of the party loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Nyesom Wike.
The judgement, in sync with the judgement of the Court of Appeal in Abuja delivered earlier this month, came just hours after the Wike faction concluded its version of the national convention of the party in Abuja, producing Abdulrahman Mohammed, as the national chairman, and other members of the National Working Committee (NWC).
Monday’s judgement also came while Kabiru Turaki, who emerged from the invalidated Ibadan convention as the party’s national chairman and others who were purportedly elected there as the party’s officials, are banking on the final resolution of the dispute by the Supreme Court following the defeat they suffered at the Court of Appeal.
Ms Abdulmalik ordered in her judgement on Monday that Mr Wike’s group be granted access to the party’s national secretariat in Abuja, which was sealed off after chaos erupted there over the scramble between the factions last year. The judge also directed relevant agencies to provide them adequate security to use the secretariat.
She held that the purported convention held in Ibadan between 15 and 16 November 2025, including the election of party officials and expulsion of some notable members of the party, violated section 287(3) of the Nigerian Constitution, as well as the party’s constitution and prior court orders.
