By Ayo Kehinde
The Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed Friday, July 10, to deliver judgment in the suit seeking to determine the authentic leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and compel the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise the party’s Interim National Working Committee (NWC) led by Tanimu Turaki.
Justice Salim Ibrahim reserved judgment after hearing arguments from parties in the suit filed by the Chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees (BoT), Senator Adolphus Wabara, and eight others, who are challenging INEC’s recognition of a rival leadership backed by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
In the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1159/2026, the plaintiffs are asking the court to direct INEC to update its records and publish the names of members of the Turaki-led Interim National Working Committee, which they said was duly forwarded to the electoral commission through a letter dated May 4.
The plaintiffs argued that despite receiving the submission, INEC had failed to upload the names of the interim officers on its official records ahead of preparations for the 2027 general election.
The suit was instituted by Wabara alongside the BoT Secretary and former Niger State Governor, Muazu Babangida Aliyu, former Information Minister, Prof. Jerry Gana, PDP chieftain Chief Olabode George, former Ministers of Women Affairs Hajiya Maryam Ciroma and Hajiya Zainab Maina, BoT and National Executive Committee member Dame Esther Uduehi, as well as the PDP.
According to the plaintiffs, the Board of Trustees constituted the Turaki-led interim leadership following the Supreme Court’s April judgment, which nullified the November 15 and 16, 2025 national convention held in Ibadan that produced the party’s national executive.
However, the Wike-backed faction insisted that following the expiration of the tenure of the Ambassador Iliya Damagun-led National Working Committee in December 2025, it lawfully established an interim leadership, which subsequently produced the Abdulrahman Mohammed-led executive in March 2026.
The plaintiffs maintained that INEC’s continued recognition of the rival leadership was unlawful and urged the court to compel the electoral commission to recognise the Turaki-led interim committee.
During proceedings, Justice Ibrahim granted applications by the Wike faction to be joined in the suit despite objections by the plaintiffs.
Counsel to the Wike faction raised preliminary objections, arguing that the Supreme Court had already settled issues relating to the party’s leadership and internal disputes.
They further contended that the matter constituted the internal affairs of the PDP and was therefore outside the jurisdiction of the court.
Counsel for the plaintiffs disagreed, insisting that the dispute before the court centred on INEC’s statutory responsibility to maintain accurate records of political parties and their officials, making it a matter the court was competent to determine.
They also relied on an earlier decision of the Federal High Court delivered by Justice James Omotosho, which held that disputes involving INEC’s recognition of party officials were not merely internal party affairs.
After listening to submissions from all parties, Justice Ibrahim reserved judgment and announced that the court would deliver its decision on Friday, July 10.
