Supreme Court Nullifies PDP Ibadan Convention, Deepening Internal Party Crisis
Supreme Court Nullifies PDP Ibadan Convention, Deepening Internal Party Crisis
By Matthew Eloyi
Nigeria’s political landscape was jolted on Thursday as the Supreme Court voided the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) national convention held in Ibadan, Oyo State, on November 15 and 16, 2025, delivering a decisive judgment that further intensifies the party’s internal leadership crisis.
In a split decision by a five-member panel, the apex court upheld earlier rulings of both the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal, which had invalidated the convention organised by a faction led by former Minister of Special Duties, Tanimu Turaki, SAN.
Three justices found the appeal filed by the Turaki-led faction lacking in merit. Justice Stephen Adah, who delivered the lead judgment in Appeal No. SC/CV/164/2026, held that the organisers of the disputed convention acted in violation of a subsisting Federal High Court order that had restrained them from proceeding with the event.
The court noted that the existence and violation of the restraining order were not in dispute, describing the actions of the faction as a clear disregard for judicial authority. Consequently, the Supreme Court dismissed the appeal as well as cross-appeals filed in the matter and ordered all parties to bear their respective costs.
At the heart of the court’s reasoning was the finding that the PDP faction had abused court processes by allegedly obtaining a conflicting order from a court of coordinate jurisdiction in Ibadan after an earlier injunction had already been issued by the Federal High Court.
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The justices further affirmed the lower courts’ reliance on constitutional provisions governing political party conduct, particularly Sections 221, 222, and 229 of the 1999 Constitution. These provisions, the court stressed, require strict compliance with the Constitution, electoral guidelines, and valid court orders in the organisation of party conventions and internal governance processes.
The appeal before the Supreme Court challenged the March 9 ruling of the Court of Appeal, which had upheld the Federal High Court’s decision nullifying the convention and restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising its outcome.
After hearing arguments on April 22, the Supreme Court reserved judgment, setting the stage for a ruling that has now reshaped the legal standing of the controversial PDP gathering.
Beyond the courtroom, the judgment is expected to reverberate across the opposition party, where factional tensions have remained unresolved. The invalidation of the Ibadan convention effectively reinforces earlier judicial positions and leaves the affected faction with limited legal ground to challenge the party’s existing leadership structure.
As the PDP grapples with the implications, the ruling underscores a broader message from the apex court: internal party disputes must be resolved within the framework of constitutional order and respect for judicial authority.
