Kabiru Turaki-led leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has rejected the judgment of the Federal High Court in Ibadan which nullified the party’s national convention held in Oyo State on November 15, 2025, and has filed an appeal against the decision.
Gatekeepers News reports that Justice Uche Agomoh, who delivered the ruling on Friday, declined the faction’s request for an order compelling the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise the Ibadan convention and accept official party communication based on the outcome of the exercise.
The court also barred Turaki and other national officers elected at the convention from presenting themselves as the party’s leadership, stating that the convention was conducted in clear disobedience to existing court orders.
The judge held that the PDP cannot ignore court directives and later return to seek judicial backing for actions carried out in violation of those orders, adding that the party can only operate through a caretaker committee until a lawful national convention is held.
Reacting at a press conference in Abuja, Turaki, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), criticised the judgment, saying the court granted reliefs that were not requested or argued by any party in the suit.
“For clarity, we approached the court seeking an order of mandamus to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise the Ibadan convention and to facilitate official party communications with the commission,” he said.
Turaki said the party has already filed a notice of appeal and also submitted a motion seeking a stay of execution of the judgment, insisting that the convention remains valid and that the leadership it produced is still in place.
He added that the judgment is only one among several rulings on the matter and that key issues are already before the Court of Appeal, expressing confidence that the appellate court will give a final pronouncement.
