BREAKING: Supreme Court Nullifies PDP Ibadan Convention

The Supreme Court of Nigeria on Thursday voided the National Convention of the Peoples Democratic Party held in Ibadan, Oyo State, on November 15 and 16, 2025, dealing a major blow to a faction of the party led by Tanimu Turaki.

In a split decision by a five-member panel, three justices ruled that the appeal filed by the Turaki-led faction lacked merit, affirming the earlier judgments of the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal which had invalidated the convention.

Delivering the lead judgment in appeal number SC/CV/164/2026, Justice Stephen Adah held that the appellants acted in violation of an existing Federal High Court order restraining them from going ahead with the convention.

The apex court dismissed both the appeal and cross-appeals, directing all parties to bear their respective costs.

It further noted that the disobedience of the court order was not contested, and agreed with the lower courts that the faction abused court processes by securing a conflicting order from a court of coordinate jurisdiction in Ibadan.

The court also upheld the position that, under Sections 221, 222, and 229 of the 1999 Constitution, political parties must strictly adhere to constitutional provisions, electoral guidelines, and valid court orders in the conduct of their internal affairs.

The appeal had challenged the March 9 ruling of the Court of Appeal, which affirmed the earlier decision of the Federal High Court nullifying the convention and restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission from recognising its outcome.

The Supreme Court had reserved judgment after hearing arguments in the case on April 22.