The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has instituted legal action at the Federal High Court in Abuja seeking to restrain the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising the outcomes of its recent national convention held in Ibadan, Oyo State, on November 15 and 16.
In the suit, the plaintiffs, members aligned with the faction loyal to Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike are urging the court to declare the Ibadan convention and all decisions taken during the exercise “null, void, and of no effect.” They contend that the gathering was irregularly constituted and that the resolutions reached lacked legal foundation within the party’s framework.
Central to the dispute is the expulsion of several key figures at the convention, including Senator Samuel Anyanwu, former Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose, Nyesom Wike himself, and eight other senior party leaders. The plaintiffs argue that these expulsions were arbitrary, procedurally defective, and inconsistent with the party’s constitution.
The suit further requests an injunction restraining INEC and security agencies from recognising the 6th to 25th defendants, among them Umar Damagum, Kabiru Turaki, the newly installed national chairman, and other principal officers as bona fide officials of the party. According to the plaintiffs, recognising these individuals would perpetuate illegality and fracture internal structures within the PDP.
Tensions within the opposition party have intensified in recent months as rival camps compete for influence and institutional control ahead of upcoming electoral cycles. The Ibadan gathering was widely seen as a decisive moment for party leadership, but its legitimacy has now been brought into question.
The case, which is before the Federal High Court, underscores the deepening internal rifts within the PDP and raises concerns over the party’s capacity to stabilise itself ahead of key political engagements. Further court proceedings are expected in the coming weeks as both sides seek judicial clarity on the status of the convention and its leadership outcomes.
