Fresh concerns have emerged over the fate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of the 2027 general elections, following a new judgment by the Court of Appeal that has further complicated the party’s lingering leadership crisis. Political observers warn that if the internal dispute remains unresolved and the legal implications of the ruling persist, Africa’s once-dominant opposition party could face procedural hurdles that may ultimately threaten its ability to appear on the ballot in the next general elections.

On Monday, the Court of Appeal delivered a judgment on appeals arising from the judgments delivered by Justice James Omotosho and Justice Peter Lifu, and a ruling by Justice Joyce Abdulmalik.

The appeal court in separate judgments upheld the judgment of the lower court that the national convention of the party which elected a National Working Committee led by Tanimu Kabiru Turaki as national chairman of the party faction is null and void while on the other hand, it ruled that the suspension of Samuel Anyanwu is in order.

Senator Anyanwu alongside the legal adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade; deputy legal adviser, Okechukwu Osuoha; and national organizing secretary, Umaru Bature, were suspended on November 1, 2025.

The prospects of the PDP putting its house in order to contest the 2027 elections has been further compounded by the inability of the two sides to reach a common ground on the next line of action.

Many fear that the PDP has been given no chance to recover and participate in the 2027 elections.

INEC has slated party primaries and resolution of disputes for between 23rd April and 30th May, 2026.

This gives the PDP and other parties less than three months to conclude all processes leading to the election of candidates which is either by direct primaries or through consensus.

The choice open to the PDP is either to challenge the judgments or accept and make haste to put its house in order.

The Tanimu Turaki faction has chosen the former: to proceed to the Supreme Court. But the Wike backed faction says it would go ahead with its planned national convention.

This, according to analysts would further compound the problem for the party.

Already, candidates for the party in the off cycle elections in Ekiti and Osun States are going through difficult times scaling through INEC regulations for participation.

Most politicians do not want to risk going into elections with a fragmented structure in order not be technically knocked out of elections as it happened in Zamfara and Plateau States in previous elections.

Turaki-led NWC heads to Supreme Court

Following the Court of Appeal Judgement, the National Working Committee, NWC of the party under the leadership of Dr Tanimu Turaki SAN has vowed to appeal.

National Publicity Secretary of the party, Comrade Ini Ememobong, in a statement while reacting to the judgment also accused the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike-backed faction of the party of being government agents masquerading as opposition leaders.

He declared that the NWC is committed to wrestling the party from their hold.

Ememobong said the “panel of the court, presided over by Justice Mohammed Ambi-Usi Danjuma upheld the suspension of the National Legal Adviser (and by extension other officers like the National Secretary and National Organising Secretary).

“The court also upheld the judgments of Justices Omotosho and Lifu of the Federal High Court, Abuja. The appeal against the interlocutory orders of Justice Abdulmalik was dismissed.”

The party lamented that the operationalisation of this judgement will, “without fail, work untold hardship on our members.”

To avert this, the spokesman said while they are consulting with critical organs of the party on the way forward, “We have also instructed our lawyers to immediately take legal steps to appeal same to the Supreme Court-being the apex court in the land; to conclusively adjudicate on this matter.

“We are hopeful that the apex court will expeditiously settle this matter in the interest of democracy. We urge our members to stand firm, trusting that soon this battle will be over and we shall be more than conquerors.

“The battle to rescue our party from the hands of government agents masquerading as opposition leaders must be fought, and we are determined to do so and win,” the statement said.

Spokesman of the other group linked to the minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Haruna Mohammed, however, said the faction would still go ahead with its national convention despite the court ruling.

The faction has set March 28 for its national convention. In an interview monitored by our correspondent, the spokesman insisted that the convention would hold.

Daily Trust further gathered last night that party stakeholders had been holding series of meetings to decide the fate of the party, but were yet to conclude at the time of filing this report.

Our correspondent learnt that there are suggestions that the Board of Trustees (BOT) of the party should take over the running of it’s affairs pending when the matter is resolved.

“The BoT under Adolphus Wabara might move to take over the party and they have slated a meeting for 3pm tomorrow (today),” the source disclosed.

Court of Appeal had dismissed an appeal by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) against the October 31 judgment by Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja, restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising the outcome of the national convention planned for Ibadan, Oyo State on November 15 and 16 by the PDP.

The appellate court specifically stated that the appeal was without merit and that the Federal High Court was right to have entered the October 31 judgment and granted all the reliefs sought by the plaintiffs.

In a unanimous judgment a three-member panel of the appellate court and read by Justice Uchechukwu Onyemenam, resolved the four issues for determination against the opposition PDP.

Justice James Omotosho had on October 31, 2025 issued an order restraining INEC from recognising the outcome of the Ibadan convention until all provisions of the laws are complied with.

Three aggrieved members of the party who instituted the case included Austin Nwachukwu (Imo PDP chairman), Amah Abraham Nnanna (Abia PDP chairman) and Turnah Alabh George (PDP Secretary, South-South).

The suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2120/2025 was instituted on their behalf by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Joseph Daudu.

The plaintiffs had asked the court to stop the planned November 15 and 16, 2025 National Convention of PDP, scheduled for Ibadan in Oyo State, where new national officers were expected to be elected.

Delivering judgment at the Appeal Court Complex in the nation’s capital, Justice Onyemenam held that PDP violated constitutional provisions required before such convention could become valid.

Among others, Justice Onyemenam said no valid notice of convention was served on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as required by law.

The appellate court also held that valid congresses were not held in more than 14 states as provided by law before the 2025 convention was held.

Justice Onyemenam also held that the case against the party was not on internal affairs as erroneously held but the desire to force INEC to comply with its statutory functions in relation to party conventions.

The court also affirmed the suspension of the National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu and others.

Daily Trust reports that the National Working Committee of the party had earlier suspended its National Legal Adviser and other officers based on alleged anti-party activities.

The suspensions arose from allegations of anti-party activities and conduct deemed inconsistent with the provisions of the PDP constitution.

In the lead judgment delivered by Justice Uchechukwu Onyemenam, the appellate court upheld the earlier action taken by the PDP’s National Working Committee (NWC), thereby dismissing the legal challenges filed by the affected officers

The court emphasised the supremacy of the party’s constitution in regulating its internal affairs and disciplinary procedures.

“All appeals seeking to nullify the suspensions and reinstate the officers were dismissed for lacking merit,” the court ruled.

In another judgment, the Appellate Court held that it was wrong of the party to have proceeded with the convention despite a subsisting order not to go ahead until conditions set by the Federal High Court were complied with.

Daily Trust reports that Justice Peter’s Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja had on November 14, 2025 ordered PDP not to go ahead with the convention until chairmanship nomination form was sold to an aspirant and former governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido.

The Federal High Court had also barred the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC) from supervising, monitoring or recognising the outcome of the National Convention, where national officers were expected to be elected.

Reactions trail ruling

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Edo State chapter, has expressed satisfaction with the judgment of the Court of Appeal, which affirmed the suspension of Senator Samuel Anyanwu, Umar Bature, Kamaldeen Ajibade, and others by the National Working Committee of the party.

The PDP, in a statement by its spokesperson, Dan Osa-Ogbegie, described the judgement as a vindication of party supremacy, institutional discipline and the rule of law within the PDP.

He said the judgment strengthens the PDP at a critical moment in “Nigeria’s political history when the country desperately needs a strong, organised and principled opposition to rescue our democracy from the incompetence, economic hardship and governance failures of the APC led administration”.

A chieftain of the party Dr. Gbenga Hashim, described the dispute as a “family quarrel” that should be resolved with unity and reconciliation.

Hashim, a presidential hopeful on the PDP platform said leaders from the contending sides had already agreed in principle to harmonise their positions through ongoing talks and negotiations.

According to him, the priority for all stakeholders should be to preserve the unity and stability of the party.

Hashim expressed optimism that the reconciliation efforts would succeed, noting that party members and Nigerians at large are looking forward to a united opposition.

“We trust that this unity would be achieved by the grace of God. Nigerians earnestly expect this and posterity demands it,” he added.

PDP BOT should rebuild existing structures – Adegboruwa

Lagos-based legal analyst, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa (SAN) has called for internal resolution of the PDP crises rather than resorting to the judiciary or other extra-judicial measures.

He lamented political parties’ inability to put their house in order, their inability to respect their own constitution and bylaws, which leads to escalating intra-party disputes for resolution by the judiciary.

“I think the judiciary should do less of intervention in resolution of internal affairs of political parties. But in this case, because disputes have prevailed for so long, instead of resorting to lawlessness, it would be good for there to be a resolution one way or the other.

“My advice is to call on the board of trustees of the political party to go back to the drawing board and dissolve all existing structures and really start the business of opposition”. (Daily Trust)

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