Court Reserves Judgment in PDP Leadership Battle as BoT Seeks INEC Recognition of Interim NWC

The leadership crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) took another legal turn on Tuesday as the Federal High Court in Abuja reserved judgment in a suit filed by the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT) seeking to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognize an interim National Working Committee (NWC).

Justice Salim Ibrahim fixed a date to deliver judgment after hearing arguments from all parties on the substantive suit and several applications for joinder.

The Wabara-led BoT is asking the court to direct INEC to formally recognize the Kabir/Tanimu Turaki-led interim NWC and update the party’s leadership records on its official website, arguing that the move is necessary to restore stability within the opposition party ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Proceedings were marked by intense legal exchanges over the composition of the parties before the court.

Counsel to the PDP, Sunday Ameh (SAN), applied to strike out the party’s name as the eighth plaintiff, contending that the PDP neither authorized the suit nor retained lead counsel, Chris Uche (SAN). He also sought leave for a change of legal representation.

However, Chris Uche (SAN) opposed the application, describing it as frivolous and legally untenable. He argued that the PDP could not simultaneously assume the roles of both plaintiff and defendant in the same suit.

Also seeking to be joined in the matter, Emmanuel Ukala (SAN), representing Mohammed Abdulrahman, National Chairman of the Wike-aligned faction, alongside Samuel Anyanwu and Karmardeen Ajibade (SAN), urged the court to recognize his clients as interested parties. He maintained that they were validly elected during an INEC-recognized national convention and therefore have a direct stake in the outcome of the case.

Opposing the application, Uche dismissed the applicants as “busybodies and meddlesome interlopers,” insisting they lacked any legal interest in the suit. He argued that under Section 287 of the Constitution, only INEC bears the responsibility of implementing valid court judgments.

Joseph Daudu (SAN), appearing for Austin Nwachukwu, Amah Abraham Nnanna and Turnah George, who are seeking to be joined as the fifth to seventh defendants, argued that previous judgments of the Federal High Court in Ibadan and the Supreme Court had conferred vested rights on his clients, making their participation in the proceedings necessary.

After hearing submissions from all counsel, Justice Ibrahim reserved ruling on the applications for joinder as well as judgment in the substantive suit.

The case is the latest chapter in the prolonged leadership crisis within the PDP, where rival factions continue to contest control of the party’s National Working Committee.

The plaintiffs in the suit include BoT Chairman, Senator Adolphus Wabara, former Niger State Governor Muazu Babangida Aliyu, Prof. Jerry Gana, Chief Olabode George, Hajiya Maryam Ciroma, Hajiya Zainab Maina, Dame Esther Uduehi and the PDP, while INEC remains the sole defendant.