A Federal High Court ruling Court bars Turaki‑led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party from accessing the party’s national secretariat in Abuja, restraining the group led by Kabiru Tanimu Turaki from using or entering the headquarters amid a protracted leadership crisis.
The judge also ordered adequate security for the rival faction aligned with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.
The leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party has been contested between rival blocs, including the group led by Kabiru Tanimu Turaki and a rival faction loyal to Minister Nyesom Wike.
This dispute stems from disagreements over control of party structures, conventions, and the composition of the National Working Committee.
Both sides have turned to the courts to seek resolution in what has become a sustained intra‑party conflict.
Prior rulings had already addressed issues around internal party conventions, with some earlier judgments barring the Turaki group’s national convention held in Ibadan in November 2025.
Despite those rulings, the Turaki faction continued to pursue its leadership claims, prompting further legal intervention.
In a written judgment delivered on Monday, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court in Abuja ruled that Court bars Turaki‑led faction from gaining access to the PDP national secretariat at Wadata Plaza, holding that the faction’s November 2025 convention and subsequent decisions violated existing court orders and the PDP constitution.
The judge held that the Ibadan convention conducted by the Turaki‑led group, including the election of party officials and the suspension of certain party members, was a nullity because it was organised in defiance of subsisting court judgments that remained in effect.
Justice Abdulmalik cited Section 287(3) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), which obligates compliance with constitutional court judgments across the federation.
The court ruled that the Turaki faction’s actions violated both the Constitution and the party’s own constitution.
The judgment expressly declared that all resolutions, elections and decisions taken at the Ibadan congress, including any purported suspension of members, were “unconstitutional, unlawful, null and void and of no effect.”
The ruling also denied applications by the Turaki faction to recuse the judge or strike out the case, holding that such claims lacked credible evidence.
As part of the order, the court directed security agencies, including the Nigerian Police Force and the Department of State Services, to ensure the rival Wike‑aligned faction has access to and control of the national secretariat.
Legal Significance and Enforcement
The development that Court bars Turaki‑led faction represents a significant enforcement of judicial authority in a high‑profile dispute involving one of Nigeria’s major political parties.
By upholding earlier rulings and reiterating the need for compliance with existing judgments, the court has reaffirmed the binding nature of its orders in intra‑party conflicts.
Legal experts say this underscores the judiciary’s role in enforcing institutional and constitutional processes even within political party disputes.
The decision also highlights the constitutional mandate that no individual or group may act contrary to established judgments, a principle central to the rule of law.
Political Implications and Party Dynamics
The ruling that Court bars Turaki‑led faction will likely influence ongoing internal negotiations within the PDP as factions seek to consolidate legitimacy.
The dispute has already prompted broader discussion within the party about reconciliation and the need for unified leadership ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Officials from the Wike‑aligned faction welcomed the ruling as affirmation of the validity of their leadership structures, while the Turaki group has indicated intent to challenge the decision through appellate processes.
Legal representatives for the Turaki faction have signalled plans to file appeals, including requests for stay of execution of the judgment, as part of their strategy to contest the decision.
The dispute remains active, with senior party figures noting that the outcome of concurrent cases before higher courts, including the Supreme Court, may shape the ultimate resolution of the PDP leadership crisis.
