Court Nullifies PDP Ibadan Convention, Wike’s Faction Fixes March 29 for New Convention

Court Nullifies PDP Ibadan Convention, Wike’s Faction Fixes March 29 for New Convention

A leadership crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party deepened on Monday as a court nullified the party’s national convention held in Ibadan in November 2025, while a faction loyal to Nyesom Wike announced plans to conduct a fresh convention on March 29.

The convention earlier produced Taminu Turaki as national chairman of the party.

However, the Court of Appeal in Abuja upheld an earlier ruling of the Federal High Court of Nigeria which invalidated the convention held in Ibadan between November 15 and 16, 2025.

The appellate court also barred the Independent National Electoral Commission from recognising the outcome of the convention, including Turaki’s emergence as national chairman.

Delivering the lead judgment, Justice Uchechukwu Onyemenam ruled that the party failed to comply with constitutional requirements needed to conduct a valid national convention.

According to the court, the party did not properly notify the electoral body of the convention as required by law. The judge also rejected claims that the matter was purely an internal party issue, stating that the plaintiffs had raised legitimate legal concerns.

Reacting to the development, the faction of the PDP aligned with Wike advised the Turaki-led camp to approach the Supreme Court of Nigeria if it was dissatisfied with the ruling.

Speaking during an interview on Channels Television, the National Publicity Secretary of the factional National Working Committee led by Abdulrahman Mohammed, Haruna Mohammed, said the party had already begun a fresh round of congresses in compliance with the Federal High Court judgment delivered by Justice Omotosho.

He explained that ward and local government congresses had been completed, while state congresses were scheduled to hold shortly.

“In compliance with Justice Omotosho’s judgment, we have carried out our ward congresses and local government congresses. We would hold our state congresses on Saturday,” he said.

Mohammed added that the party would convene its National Executive Committee meeting before proceeding with the new national convention slated for March 29.

Meanwhile, the Turaki faction has indicated it would challenge the ruling at the Supreme Court.

The development comes as INEC’s electoral timetable released on February 26, 2026, shows that political parties are expected to conduct their primaries and resolve disputes between April 23 and May 30, 2026.