Drama as Court orders arrest of factional PDP Chairman, Kabiru Turaki

There was a mild drama at a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court on Thursday after the presiding judge, Justice U.P. Kekemeke, ordered the immediate arrest of the factional National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Kabiru Turaki.

The order comes as a huge blow to the Turaki-led faction of the main opposition party, which has been embroiled in a series of legal and internal leadership battles.

Gistlife gathered that the bench warrant was issued following Turaki’s failure to show up in court for a criminal case filed against him by the Inspector-General of Police (IGP).

During the proceedings, Justice Kekemeke expressed his displeasure over the defendant’s absence, stating that Turaki had no justifiable reason to skip the hearing. The judge subsequently directed law enforcement agencies to apprehend him and ensure his presence at the next adjourned date.

The IGP had dragged the factional chairman to court on a one-count charge bordering on the provision of false information.

According to court documents, Turaki allegedly misled the police in a petition he authored back in October 2022. While the details of the petition remain a subject of legal scrutiny, the IGP insists that the information provided was false and intended to mislead the authorities.

This development is coming at a time when the PDP is struggling to unite its various factions ahead of the next political cycle. With a bench warrant now hanging over one of its prominent “chairmen,” political analysts believe this could further weaken the faction’s influence within the party’s power structure.