Alex Enumah in Abuja
Hearing in a suit seeking to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise the Interim National Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led by Tanimu Turaki, was stalled yesterday owing to requests for joinder applications.
It would be recalled that the Senator Adolphus Wabara-led Board of Trustees (BoT) of the PDP had dragged the electoral umpire to court over its failure to upload the names of the Turaki-led Interim NWC members on its website.
Also following the Supreme Court’s nullification of the November 2025 Ibadan Convention that produced the Turaki-led national leadership of the PDP, last April, the Wabara-led BOT had put in place the interim leadership to run the affairs of the PDP, pending the election of new leaders.
Presently, names of PDP officials on the website of INEC are those who emerged from the PDP’s convention held in Abuja, in March this year.
Dissatisfied, 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 are asking the court for an order directing the 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 the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1159/2026, plaintiffs claimed that the names of members of the Tanimu Turaki-led NWC was forwarded to the electoral umpire via their letters dated May 4, but has not been uploaded by INEC.
When the matter came up yesterday, a mild drama played out as another lawyer stood up to announce appearance for the PDP, who is the eight plaintiff.
Chief Gordy Uche, SAN, announced appearance for all the eight plaintiffs, however immediately he sat down another senior lawyer, Mr. Sunday Ameh, SAN, stood up to announce before the court that he is representing the eight plaintiffs in the matter, adding that he intends to excuse the PDP from the suit because the party never authorised it in the first place.
While Mr. O. A. Adeyemi had announced appearance for INEC, Mr. Adedayo Adedeji, SAN, announced the names of Hon. Austin Nwachukwu, Abraham Nnanah and George Turner, as persons seeking to be joined as defendants.
Similarly, Mr. George Ibrahim, SAN, announced appearance for persons seeking to be joined, which he listed as PDP’s National Chairman, Alhaji Mohammed Abdulrahman, National Secretary PDP, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, and National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade, SAN.
They informed the court of their joinder applications and prayed it be taking to enable them know what next steps to take.
Responding, trial judge, Justice Salim Ibrahim, fixed June 30, to hear all pending applications.
