By Taiye Agbaje

The Sen. Adolphus Wabara-led Chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has instituted a suit against Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), demanding recognition of its interim National Working Committee (NWC).

The BoT and the PDP, in a fresh suit, sought an order compelling INEC to, forthwith, update its records and publish on its official website the NWC of the party as forwarded to it by the plaintiffs and its National Executive Committee (NEC).

They said the names of members of the Tanimu Turaki-led NWC was forwarded to the electoral umpire via their letters dated May 4.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the originating summons, marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1159/2026, was filed on June 4 by a team of lawyers led by Chief Chris Uche, SAN.

Listed as plaintiffs are former Senate President Wabara; BoT Secretary, former Gov. Muazu Babangida Aliyu of Niger; ex-Minister of Information, Prof. Jerry Gana and PDP chieftain, Olabode George as 1st to 4th plaintiffs.

Others include former Minister of Women Affairs, Hajiya Maryam Ciroma; also an ex-Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Zainab Maina; member of BoT and NEC, Dame Esther Uduehi and PDP as 5th to 8th plaintiffs respectively.

The plaintiffs sued INEC as sole defendant in the suit.

NAN reports that the Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja had, on June 3, set aside key aspects of an Ibadan Federal High Court judgment that recognised a factional caretaker committee in the PDP.

The appellate court held that the trial court granted reliefs that were never sought by any of the parties to the suit.

Justice Uchechukwu Onyemenam, in a unanimous judgment , faulted Justice Uche Agomoh of the Federal High Court, Ibadan, for going beyond the issues placed before the court in a dispute arising from the PDP leadership crisis.

Justice Agomoh had, in a judgment delivered on Jan. 30, recognised the caretaker committee led by Abdurahman Mohammed and Samuel Anyanwu of Nyesom Wike’s camp, as the legitimate leadership faction of the party.

However, the Court of Appeal held that none of the parties before the lower court had sought such a declaration.

Meanwhile, the Wabara-led BoT of the PDP, in the suit filed on June 4, sought a declaration that INEC is constitutionally bound to enforce and give full effect to the decision of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja in a suit number: CV/1050/2025 between Sen. Sameul Anyanwu vs. Amb. Umar Damagun and eight others delivered on Jan. 12.

They sought a declaration that the commission is also bound by decisions in appeal number: CA/ABI/1613/2025, between PDP and two others Vs. Hon. Austine Nwachukwu and eight others delivered on March 9 and appeal numbers: SC/CV/164/2026 between PDP Vs. Alhaji Sule Lamido and four others and SC/CV/166/2026 between PDP and two others Vs. Hon Austine Nwachukwu and eight others both delivered on April 30.

They, therefore, prayed the court for an order directing INEC to accept and give effect to all official correspondences, communications, notices and engagements concerning the party from the interim NWC and for the commission to direct the same emanating from it to the NWC as forwarded to it by the plaintiffs and the NEC via their letters dated May 4.

In the affidavit in support of the originating summons deposed to by ex-Gov. Aliyu, he said on Nov. 1, 2025, “key officers of PDP (8th plaintiff) like Sen. Anyanwu, Hon Umar M. Bature, Adeyemi Kamaldeen Ajibade and Barr. Okechukwu Osuoha were suspended by a resolution of the NWC for gross misconduct, anti-party activities and insubordination against the 8th plaintiff.”

Aliyu said that at the 608 meeting of the NWC held on Nov. 1, 2025, their suspension was approved and they were referred to National Disciplinary Committee (NDC) for further action.

He said the affected four members deliberately refused, failed and neglected to submit themselves to the party’s NDC and continue to act as officers of the party even when there was no any resolution lifting their suspension.

He said that Anyanwu was earlier recommended for expulsion as a member of the PDP by a report dated March 10, 2025 submitted by the NDC.

Aliyu said, subsequently, the NDC’s recommendation for the expulsion of Anyanwu was upheld at the 608 meeting of the NWC held on Nov. 1, 2025.

He said upon his expulsion, Anyanwu filed suit number: CV/1050/2025 against Damagun and others at the FCT High Court, challenging his exputsion as a member of the party.

He averred that on Jan. 12, the FCT High Court delivered its judgment, dismissing Anyanwu’s claim in the said suit on the merit.

The ex-governor said the BoT, at its emergency meeting held on Nov. 5, 2025, constituted the board reconcilaton committee, preparatory to its national elective convention.

He said the party held its elective national conventon on Nov. 15 and Nov. 16, 2025 and elected its natonal officers.

According to him, the convention was subject of several litigations that went through the Federal High Court to the Supreme Court.

Aliyu said the convention was nullified by the Court of Appeal in appeal number: CA/A8)/1613/2025, between PDP and two others Vs. Hon Austine Nwachukwu and eight others delivered on March 9.

He said the judgment of the appellate court referred to also affirmed the suspension of the key officers of the PDP referred to in paragraph 11 by virtue of the resolution of the party’s NWC.

He said on further appeal to the Supreme Court, the apex court, in its judgment in appeal numbers: SC/CV/164/2026, between PDP Vs. Alhaji Sule Lamido and four others and SC/CV/166/2026, between PDP and two others Vs. Hon Austine Nwachukwu and eight others, both delivered on April 30 also affirmed the Appeal Court judgment, nullifying the convention of the PDP held on Nov. 15 and Nov. 16, 2025.

In addition, he said the apex court judgment further dismissed the cross appeal, challenging the suspension of the key officers of the party mentioned in paragraph 11 supra.

Aliyu said the resolution of the NWC dated Nov. 1, 2025, upon which the suspension of A. K. Ajibade, SAN, was affirmed by the Court of Appeal and cross appeal against the same to the Supreme Court was dismissed, suspended A. K. Ajibade, SAN, alongside Anyanwu, Bature and Osuoha.

“Consequent, upon the vacuum created in the leadership structure of the PDP following the judgment nullifying the Nov. 15 and Nov.16, 2025 elective national convention of the 8th plaintiff and which also upheld the suspension of the affected key officers of the 8th plaintiff, the BoT, comprising the 1st to 7th plaintiffs constituted an interim NWC mandated to oversee the affairs of the 8th plaintiff pending the conduct of a valid national convention.”

He said the constitution of the interim NWC was communicated to INEC by the party’s BOT and NEC through their letters dated Monday, May 4 respectively.

The former governor said, consequently, the NWC, at its meeting heid on May 12, assigned portfolios to members of the interim NWC as constituted by its BoT and NEC, as was forwarded to the commission vide Exhibits “9” and “10” respectively.

He said the electoral umpire was subsequently notified of the assignment of the portfolios by the interim NWC’s letter dated May 15.

Aliyu, however, said that inspite of the receipt of Exhibits “9” and “10” dated May 4 and Exhibit “11” dated May 15, written to INEC by the BoT, NEC and NWC, the defendant failed, refused and neglected to effect the necessary corrections in its records or accord recognition to the interim National Working Committee.”

He said upon the non-compliance with the letters, further letters were written through the party’s lawyer, Chief Uche, on May 8 and May 13, urging INEC to give effect to subsisting judgment of the courts.

The ex-governor said he knew for a fact that INEC is under a constitutional and legal obligation to comply with valid and subsisting judgments of the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court.

He described INEC’s actions as “a grave affront to the rule of law and the supremacy of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).”

According to him, that unless this honourable court intervenes, the defendant will continue to disregard the valid and subsisting judgments of the courts.

Aliyu said it was in the interest of justice for the court to grant the reliefs sought in the originating summons.

The suit is yet to be assigned as at the time of filing the report. (NAN)

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