Appeal Court upholds order stopping INEC from recognising PDP Ibadan convention

The Court of Appeal in Abuja has affirmed a judgment restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising the outcome of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) national convention held 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 PDP faction led by former Minister of Special Duties, Kabiru Turaki, SAN.

The faction had challenged the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court to hear the suit that barred INEC from recognising the outcome of the party’s November 15 and 16, 2025 national convention.

The appeal was among nine harmonised appeals filed by the Turaki-led group against the October 31, 2025 judgment of the Federal High Court in Abuja.

In its ruling, the Court of Appeal held that the lower court had the authority to hear the matter, rejecting claims that the dispute was purely an internal affair of the party.

According to the court, the appellants could not “repackage a clear violation of the party constitution and that of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as an internal party affair.”

Justice Onyemenam further ruled that the PDP failed to comply with constitutional and statutory requirements necessary to hold a valid national convention.

The court noted that the party did not issue a valid notice of the convention to INEC as required by law and also failed to conduct valid congresses in more than 14 states before convening the meeting.

The appellate court stressed that compliance with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution, the Electoral Act 2022, and the party’s constitution is essential to democratic governance.

Consequently, the court dismissed the appeal and awarded N2 million in costs against the appellants.

Earlier, 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 suit, filed by aggrieved PDP members — Austin Nwachukwu, Amah Abraham Nnanna, and Turnah Alabh George — sought to stop the 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, Acting National Chairman Umar Iliya Damagum, as well as Ali Odefa and Emmanuel Ogidi.