Alex Enumah in Abuja
Justice Salim Ibrahim has adjourned till July 10, to decide the authentic leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), between the faction led by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Nyesom Wike and the Interim National Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), led by Tanimu Turaki.
Justice Ibrahim fixed the date for judgment shortly after taking arguments for and against the suit filed by the PDP’s Board of Trustees Chairman, Senator Adolphus Wabara.
Wabara and eight others in the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1159/2026, are seeking among others; an order compelling the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to recognize the Interim National Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), led by Tanimu Turaki.
They predicated their legal action on the alleged failure of the electoral umpire to upload the names of the Turaki-led Interim NWC members on its website for the 2027 general elections.
Recall that following the Supreme Court’s judgment which in April nullified the Ibadan November 15 and 16, 2025, national convention that produced the Turaki-led national executive, the Wabara-led BOT had put in place the interim leadership to run the affairs of the PDP, pending the election of new leaders.
Meanwhile, following the expiration of the tenure of the Ambassador Iliya Damagun led NWC of the PDP last December, the faction of the party said to be loyal to Wike, had put in place an interim national executive, which in March this year produced the Abdulrahman Mohammed leadership of the party.
As at today, the recognize leadership of the PDP on the website of INEC is that of the Wike faction, which the plaintiffs are challenging in court.
Specifically, the plaintiffs which included the BoT Secretary, former Niger State Governor, Muazu Babangida Aliyu; ex-Minister of Information, Prof. Jerry Gana and PDP chieftain, Olabode George as 1st to 4th plaintiffs; former Minister of Women Affairs, Hajiya Maryam Ciroma; another ex-Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Zainab Maina; member of BoT and NEC, Dame Esther Uduehi and the PDP, asked the court for an order directing INEC, to forthwith, update its records and publish on its official website the interim NWC of the party as forwarded to it by the plaintiffs and its National Executive Committee (NEC).
According to them, the names of members of the Tanimu Turaki-led NWC which was forwarded to the electoral umpire via their letters dated May 4, has not been uploaded by INEC.
Meanwhile, Justice Ibrahim in a ruling granted the joinder applications by the Wike faction, who are opposed to the suit by Wabara.
The Wike faction filed and argued their preliminary objections against the suit, pointing out that the apex court had resolved the issues concerning the leadership of the party as well as the issue of suspension.
Besides, they submitted that the case before the court falls within the category of internal affairs of the PDP which the court cannot entertain.
However, the plaintiffs claimed that the case before the court is between the PDP and INEC, which the court can look into and take decision, adding that the case which went up to the Supreme Court started at the Federal High Court wherein Justice James Omotosho had held that the matter brought against INEC by some parties which had been joined in the instant case was not an internal affairs of the PDP.
They urged the court to dismiss the preliminary objections as well as counter affidavit to their originating summons and grant all the reliefs been sought from the court.
Justice Ibrahim after listening to all arguments announced that judgment has been fixed for Friday, July 10.
