Court Orders Accelerated Hearing in PDP Suit Seeking Recognition of Turaki-Led NWC

June 19 () — The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Friday ordered an accelerated hearing in a fresh suit filed by the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), led by former Senate President Adolphus Wabara, seeking to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise the interim National Working Committee (NWC) led by Taminu Kabir Turaki.

Justice Salim Ibrahim issued the order after counsel to the plaintiffs, Gordy Uche (SAN), informed the court that the matter was time-sensitive due to INEC’s revised timetable and schedule of activities ahead of the 2027 general elections, which imposes critical deadlines beginning in July.

The plaintiffs are seeking an order compelling INEC to formally recognise the Turaki-led interim NWC and immediately update the commission’s official records and website to reflect the faction’s leadership structure.

According to court documents, the Turaki-led interim leadership was communicated to INEC through letters dated May 4, 2026, forwarded by the party’s BoT and National Executive Committee (NEC), but the electoral commission has yet to acknowledge the changes.

The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1159/2026, was filed on June 4 by a team of lawyers led by Chris Uche (SAN). Other plaintiffs in the case include former Niger State Governor Muazu Babangida Aliyu, former Information Minister Jerry Gana, PDP elder statesman Olabode George, former Women Affairs Ministers Maryam Ciroma and Zainab Maina, as well as Dame Esther Uduehi.

However, proceedings were briefly thrown into confusion after multiple senior lawyers announced separate appearances for the PDP, which was listed as the eighth plaintiff in the suit. 

While  Gordy Uche announced his appearance for all plaintiffs, including the PDP, another senior advocate, Sunday Ameh (SAN), also stood up and declared that he had been instructed to represent the party.

Ameh informed the court that he had filed a notice of change of counsel earlier in the day and had also submitted a motion seeking to strike out the PDP’s name from the suit, arguing that the party did not authorise the legal action initiated by the Wabara-led faction.

The disagreement exposed the sharp divisions within the party, with Uche openly questioning how another lawyer could seek to represent the same party he was already representing in court.

The legal battle intensified further when Adedayo Adedeji (SAN) announced appearance for individuals seeking to be joined as defendants in the matter. Those seeking joinder include Austin Nwachukwu, Amah Abraham Nnanna and George Turnah.

Another senior lawyer, George Ibrahim (SAN), also appeared on behalf of a rival PDP faction loyal to Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike. 

That faction includes Alhaji Mohammed Abdulrahman, identified as factional national chairman, Senator Samuel Anyanwu as national secretary, and Kamaldeen Adeyemi Ajibade (SAN), the party’s national legal adviser.

Lawyers representing the parties seeking joinder urged the court to first determine their applications before proceeding with substantive hearing on the main suit.

Counsel for INEC, O.A. Adeyemi, confirmed that the commission had been served with the originating summons on June 11 and stated that the electoral body would not oppose the applications for joinder. 

He also told the court that INEC would remain neutral regarding the internal dispute over legal representation for the PDP.

“We don’t intend to dabble into who represents PDP in this matter, my lord,” he said.

Responding, Uche requested a short adjournment to allow time to file counter-affidavits challenging the applications for joinder, notice of change of counsel and the motion seeking removal of PDP as a plaintiff.

Justice Ibrahim subsequently adjourned the matter until June 30 for hearing on the applications for joinder, notice of change of counsel and the motion seeking to strike out the PDP from the suit.

Declaring the urgency of the case, the judge ordered an accelerated hearing process and warned against unnecessary delays.

“Because of the urgency of this matter, this court hereby abridges time for the expeditious hearing of this suit. The court will not entertain any act of delay in this suit,” he added.

The dispute follows a June 3 judgment by the Court of Appeal in Abuja which set aside key aspects of an earlier Federal High Court ruling delivered in Ibadan that had recognised a factional caretaker committee within the PDP aligned with the camp loyal to Wike.

The appellate court held that the lower court had granted reliefs that were never sought by parties involved in the original suit.

reports that the Wabara-led BoT is relying heavily on previous judgments of the Federal High Court, Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court which, according to the plaintiffs, nullified the PDP national convention held in November 2025 and upheld the suspension of several key party officials, including Samuel Anyanwu and other party officers accused of anti-party activities and insubordination.

The plaintiffs argued that following those judgments, a leadership vacuum emerged within the PDP, prompting the BoT and NEC to constitute the Turaki-led interim NWC to oversee party affairs pending the conduct of a valid national convention.

They insist that INEC is constitutionally bound to recognise the interim leadership and give effect to all subsisting court judgments affecting the party’s internal structure.