The Court of Appeal of Nigeria sitting in Abuja has upheld the judgment of the Federal High Court restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission from recognising the outcome of the national convention held by the Peoples Democratic Party in Ibadan, Oyo State.
In a unanimous decision delivered by a three-member panel led by Uchechukwu Onyemenam, the appellate court dismissed an appeal filed by a faction of the PDP led by former Minister of Special Duties, Kabiru Turaki, Senior Advocate of Nigeria. The appeal had challenged the jurisdiction of the lower court to hear the case.
The appeal was one of nine consolidated matters brought by the Turaki-led faction against the October 31, 2025 judgment of the Federal High Court in Abuja, which barred INEC from validating the outcome of the PDP national convention held on November 15 and 16, 2025 in Ibadan.
In its ruling, the appellate court affirmed that the Federal High Court had the legal authority to entertain the case and rejected the argument that the dispute was merely an internal affair of the political party.
Justice Onyemenam held that the appellants could not present what the court described as a clear violation of both the party constitution and the Constitution of the Nigeria as an internal party matter.
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The court further ruled that the PDP failed to comply with constitutional and statutory provisions required before conducting a valid national convention.
According to the findings of the court, the party failed to serve a valid notice of the convention on INEC as required by law and also did not conduct valid congresses in more than fourteen states of the federation before convening the convention.
The appellate court stressed that compliance with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria, the Electoral Act 2022, and the party’s internal constitution and guidelines remains essential to democratic governance.
“Non-compliance with the 1999 Constitution, Electoral Act 2022 and party Constitution and Guidelines are at the heart of democratic governance, and compliance must be strictly enforced in the interest of democracy,” the court held.
The court subsequently dismissed the appeal and awarded costs of N2 million against the appellants.
Earlier, on October 31, 2025, Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court had restrained INEC from receiving, publishing or recognising the outcome of the convention until the party complied with the relevant legal provisions.
The trial judge ruled that evidence before the court showed that congresses were not conducted in some states and that the PDP failed to issue the mandatory 21-day notice required for INEC to monitor party meetings and congresses.
Justice Omotosho also held that notices and official correspondence issued by the party’s National Chairman without the endorsement of the National Secretary were invalid.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2120/2025, was filed by three PDP members, including the party’s chairman in Imo State, Austin Nwachukwu; the chairman in Abia State, Amah Abraham Nnanna; and the PDP Secretary for the South-South, Turnah Alabh George.
Through their counsel, Joseph Daudu, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, the plaintiffs had asked the court to stop the planned convention where new national officers of the party were expected to be elected.
Defendants in the suit included INEC, the PDP, the party’s National Secretary Samuel Anyanwu, National Organising Secretary Umar Baturrle, the PDP National Working Committee, the National Executive Committee, Acting National Chairman Umar Iliya Damagum, as well as party officials Ali Odefa and Emmanuel Ogidi.
