PDP Leadership Showdown Reaches Crucial Stage as Court Reserves Judgment, ADC Deregistration Appeal Delayed

The battle for the soul of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) moved closer to a decisive moment on Wednesday as a Federal High Court in Abuja fixed July 10 for judgment in the fierce leadership dispute tearing through Nigeria’s main opposition party.

Justice Salim Ibrahim reserved judgment after hearing extensive arguments from rival factions laying claim to the party’s leadership, setting the stage for a ruling that could significantly shape the PDP’s future ahead of the 2027 general elections.

At the centre of the dispute are two competing blocs: one aligned with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and the other backed by the PDP Board of Trustees (BoT), which installed an interim National Working Committee (NWC) headed by Tanimu Turaki.

The lawsuit was initiated by BoT Chairman Adolphus Wabara and several senior party figures, who are seeking a court order compelling the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to officially recognise the Turaki-led interim leadership.

According to the plaintiffs, INEC has failed to update its records and upload the names of the interim NWC members submitted to the commission, despite receiving the list through official correspondence in May.

Among those backing the suit are former Niger State Governor Muazu Babangida Aliyu, former Information Minister Jerry Gana, and PDP elder statesman Olabode George, alongside other prominent party stakeholders.

The leadership crisis traces its roots to an earlier Supreme Court ruling that nullified the PDP national convention held in Ibadan in November 2025. Following that judgment, the Wabara-led BoT constituted an interim structure to oversee party affairs pending fresh leadership elections.

However, after the tenure of the former NWC expired, a separate faction associated with Wike established its own interim executive, which later produced a leadership headed by Abdulrahman Mohammed. INEC currently recognises that faction on its official records, a development now being challenged in court.

During proceedings, lawyers representing the Wike camp urged the court to dismiss the suit, arguing that the issues had already been settled by the Supreme Court and fell strictly within the internal affairs of the party, making them beyond judicial intervention.

The plaintiffs disagreed, maintaining that the dispute involves INEC’s statutory responsibilities and therefore falls squarely within the court’s jurisdiction. They also pointed to an earlier ruling by the Federal High Court which held that matters involving the electoral commission could not simply be dismissed as internal party affairs.

After listening to both sides, Justice Ibrahim announced that judgment would be delivered on July 10.

ADC, Accord Fight for Survival as Appeal Hearing Slips

In a related development, the Court of Appeal in Abuja postponed hearing in the appeals filed by the African Democratic Congress, Accord and three other political parties challenging their deregistration.

The appellate court shifted proceedings to July 14 after discovering that some parties had only just been served with key court documents and required additional time to respond.

The appeals challenge a Federal High Court judgment that directed INEC to remove the affected parties from its register and prevent them from participating in the 2027 general election.

Presiding over the matter, Abba Mohammed said the appeals were not yet ready for hearing because all parties had not completed the exchange of legal processes.

He warned counsel involved in the case to ensure all filings and responses are properly exchanged before the next hearing date.

PDP Rejects Reports of Candidate Revolt

Meanwhile, the Turaki-led PDP leadership has strongly denied reports suggesting that some of its candidates for the 2027 elections are preparing legal action against the interim leadership.

In a statement issued by the party’s interim National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, the reports were described as baseless and deliberately crafted to sow discord within the party.

The PDP insisted that none of its candidates had filed complaints or threatened legal action, adding that party aspirants and candidates remain in regular communication with the leadership and are continually updated on developments.

The party accused unnamed political opponents and “PDP pretenders” of spreading false narratives to create confusion and undermine confidence in the opposition party.

It urged journalists and members of the public to ignore what it described as fabricated claims and rely solely on information released through official PDP communication channels.

With a landmark court ruling expected on July 10 and several legal battles still unfolding, the struggle for control of the PDP appears far from over, even as political parties begin positioning themselves for the high-stakes 2027 elections.