Court Rejects Bid to Compel INEC to Recognise Turaki-Led PDP Interim Executive

• Federal High Court dismisses suit seeking INEC’s recognition of the Kabir Tanimu Turaki-led Interim National Working Committee of the PDP, describing the action as lacking merit.

• Justice Salim Ibrahim upholds the Abdulrahman Mohammed and Senator Samuel Anyanwu-led National Working Committee currently recognised by INEC.

• Court strikes out the PDP as a plaintiff after ruling the suit was not authorised by the party and grants applications by members of the rival faction to join the proceedings.

• Judgment reinforces INEC’s recognition of the Wike-backed PDP leadership ahead of the 2027 general election and ends a major round of the party’s leadership litigation at the Federal High Court.

July 17, () — The Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday dismissed a suit seeking to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise the Interim National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led by Kabir Tanimu Turaki, SAN.

Justice Salim Ibrahim dismissed the suit filed by Chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees (BoT), Senator Adolphus Wabara, alongside Prof. Jerry Gana, Turaki, and other BoT members, thereby upholding the leadership of the party currently recognised by INEC under National Chairman Abdulrahman Mohammed and National Secretary Senator Samuel Anyanwu.

The judgment brings to a close, at the Federal High Court level, one of the most significant legal battles arising from the PDP’s lingering leadership crisis and leaves intact INEC’s recognition of the Abdulrahman Mohammed-led National Working Committee ahead of the 2027 general election.

Marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1159/2026, the suit was instituted by Wabara, former Niger State Governor and BoT Secretary, Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, Prof. Jerry Gana, Chief Olabode George, Hajiya Maryam Ciroma, Hajiya Zainab Maina, Dame Esther Uduehi, Kabir Turaki, and others.

The plaintiffs had asked the court to compel INEC to update its records and publish the names of members of the Turaki-led Interim National Working Committee, arguing that the Board of Trustees constituted the interim leadership following the Supreme Court’s April 2026 judgment, which nullified the PDP’s November 15 and 16, 2025 national convention held in Ibadan.

They further argued that the names of the interim officers were forwarded to INEC through a letter dated May 4, but the electoral commission failed to upload them on its official website despite receiving the communication.

According to the plaintiffs, INEC’s continued recognition of the rival leadership was unlawful, and the commission should be compelled to recognise the Turaki-led interim executive.

Wike-Backed Faction Raised Jurisdictional Objections

The suit was vigorously opposed by a faction of the PDP loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, which applied to be joined in the proceedings.

The Abdulrahman Mohammed-led National Working Committee argued that the dispute was an internal affair of the PDP and that issues relating to the party’s leadership had already been determined by the Supreme Court.

The defendants further challenged the competence of the suit, contending that the plaintiffs lacked the locus standi to institute the action and urging the court to decline jurisdiction and dismiss the case.

They also maintained that the plaintiffs were attempting to relitigate issues that had already been decided by competent courts.

PDP Struck Out as Plaintiff

A major issue during the proceedings centred on the inclusion of the People’s Democratic Party as one of the plaintiffs.

Counsel representing the Wike-backed leadership argued that the PDP never authorised the institution of the suit and consequently sought an order striking out the party’s name from the action.

Justice Ibrahim upheld the application and struck out the PDP as a plaintiff, agreeing that the action was not instituted with the party’s authorisation.

The court also granted applications by Abdulrahman Mohammed, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, National Legal Adviser Adeyemi Ajibade, Imo PDP Chairman Austin Nwachukwu, George Turnah and Abraham Amah to be joined as defendants in the suit before determining the substantive issues.

Court Dismisses Suit

In dismissing the action, Justice Ibrahim held that the plaintiffs failed to establish sufficient grounds to warrant the relief sought against INEC.

The court consequently refused to compel the electoral commission to recognise the Turaki-led Interim National Working Committee, leaving INEC’s existing recognition of the Abdulrahman Mohammed-led National Working Committee intact.