The Supreme Court of Nigeria has reserved judgment in an appeal filed by a faction of the Peoples Democratic Party led by Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, challenging the nullification of its 2025 national convention.
A five-member panel of the court, led by Justice Lawal Garba, announced on Wednesday, April 22, that a date for the ruling would be communicated to all parties after lawyers adopted their final written submissions.
The Turaki-led faction is seeking to overturn the March 9 decision of the Court of Appeal, which upheld earlier rulings invalidating the party’s convention held in Ibadan on November 15 and 16, 2025.
Before the apex court, the faction argued that the matter concerns internal party affairs and should not be subject to judicial intervention. It also maintained that due process was followed in organising the convention.
However, previous court decisions have consistently gone against the group. Both the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal nullified the exercise, restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission from recognising the outcome, and issued orders affecting control of the party’s national secretariat.
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The appellate court had affirmed two separate judgments of the Federal High Court in Abuja, which barred the PDP from conducting the convention pending compliance with the Electoral Act and the 2022 Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties.
In one ruling, Justice James Omotosho held that the party failed to conduct valid state congresses as required by law and its constitution, rendering the convention invalid.
In another, Justice Peter Lifu restrained the party from proceeding with the convention until former Jigawa State governor, Sule Lamido, was allowed to contest the national chairmanship, having been found to be unjustly excluded.
The legal battle stems from suits filed by aggrieved party members, including state executives from Imo, Abia, and the South-South zone, deepening the internal crisis within the PDP.
With judgment now reserved, the final decision of the Supreme Court is expected to determine the legality of the disputed convention and shape the party’s leadership structure moving forward.