Supreme Court Reserves Judgment on PDP Leadership Dispute

On Wednesday, the Supreme Court of Nigeria reserved judgment on an appeal filed by the Kabiru Tanimu Turaki-led faction of the People's Democratic Party (PDP), which seeks to overturn a March 9 ruling that nullified its planned 2025 national convention. A five-member panel, led by Justice Lawal Garba, announced the date for the judgment after counsel for the Turaki faction adopted their final written address.

The faction argues that the dispute falls within internal party affairs and is therefore not justiciable, insisting that due process was followed in organizing the convention. However, lower courts had ruled against the faction, declaring the exercise invalid and restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission from recognizing its outcomes.

The appellate court upheld two judgments from the Federal High Court in Abuja, which barred the PDP from conducting the convention until compliance with the Electoral Act 2022 and related guidelines. Justice Jame Omotosho noted that the party failed to conduct valid state congresses as required by law, rendering the planned convention invalid.

Additionally, Justice Peter Lifu restrained the party from proceeding with the convention until former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido is allowed to participate in the national chairmanship race, citing unjust exclusion.