From Victor Osula, Abuja
The Court of Appeal in Abuja, on Monday, delivered a major setback to the Aminu Turaki-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) by dismissing its appeal against the October 31, 2025 judgement of Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja, which had restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising the outcome of the PDP’s national convention planned for Ibadan, Oyo State, on November 15 and 16, 2025.
In a unanimous judgement, a three-member panel of the appellate court, chaired by Justice Mohammed Ambi-Usi Danjuma, with Justices Okechukwu Onyemenam and Muhammed Mustapha as members, resolved all four issues raised in the appeal against the PDP, holding that the appeal lacked merit.
The panel emphasised that the trial court acted within its powers in granting the relief sought by the plaintiffs and rejected the PDP’s argument that the matter involved only internal party affairs. It also affirmed that the plaintiffs had the legal right to institute the suit to protect their democratic rights and that the PDP was not denied a fair hearing as alleged.
Highlighting the seriousness of the appeal, the Court of Appeal awarded ₦2 million in costs against the PDP, describing the appeal as frivolous. The panel noted that rulings on eight other related appeals are still pending.
