- Heads To Supreme Court, Warns Against Turning PDP Into APC’s Appendage
- Wike-Led Faction Hails Victory, Declares Abdulrahman, Anyanwu Authentic Leaders
The deepening leadership war within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) suffered another dramatic twist on Wednesday as the Court of Appeal in Abuja rejected a bid to secure official recognition for the Kabiru Turaki-led Interim National Working Committee, dealing another crushing legal blow to the embattled opposition party.
The ruling has further unsettled the PDP, which is struggling to overcome factional divisions, competing claims to its national leadership and an increasingly bruising battle for control of its party machinery ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In a judgment delivered by a three-member special panel presided over by Justice Ugochukwu Anthony Ogakwu, the appellate court dismissed appeal number CA/ABJ/CV/1221/2026, filed by former Senate President and PDP Board of Trustees Chairman, Senator Adolphus Wabara, and seven other party stakeholders.
Justices Laja Balogun and Ruquayat Oremei Ayoola were the other members of the panel.
The appellants had approached the appellate court to overturn an earlier Federal High Court decision which refused to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise the Turaki-led interim leadership.
The interim committee emerged from a National Executive Committee meeting convened following an earlier Supreme Court judgment relating to the party’s leadership dispute.
However, the Court of Appeal upheld the lower court’s decision in its entirety, effectively shutting the door on the appellants’ immediate attempt to obtain a judicial order compelling INEC to recognise the Turaki-led committee.
The latest setback has intensified the uncertainty surrounding the PDP’s national leadership, raising fresh questions about the party’s ability to put its house in order while other political forces are consolidating their structures ahead of the next general elections.
Turaki Faction Fires Back, Heads To Supreme Court
But rather than retreat in the face of the appellate court’s decision, the Turaki-led faction has vowed to escalate the battle to the Supreme Court, insisting that its quest for judicial recognition is far from over.
The faction’s National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Ini Ememobong, said the group respected the court’s judgment but remained convinced that the legal struggle must continue until justice was achieved.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, Ememobong disclosed that the faction had already instructed its lawyers to immediately commence proceedings at the Supreme Court.
He declared that the appellate court’s decision would not deter the group from pursuing what it described as its quest for justice.
“We are determined to take our quest for justice anchored on truth to the apex court in the land. It is our belief that no matter how deep the truth is buried, if those seeking it are persistent in digging, it will one day resurface,” he said.
The spokesman added: “We have instructed our lawyers to immediately file an appeal before the Supreme Court, in the hope that justice will eventually be done.”
The faction urged its supporters to remain resolute, expressing confidence that the apex court would ultimately determine the legal issues surrounding its claim to the party’s interim leadership.
‘PDP Must Not Become APC’s Appendage’
Beyond the courtroom confrontation, the Turaki camp has framed the leadership struggle as a fight for the survival, independence and democratic relevance of the PDP as Nigeria’s principal opposition party.
Ememobong warned that the opposition party must not surrender its identity or become politically subservient to the ruling party, arguing that a weakened opposition would pose a serious threat to the country’s democratic balance.
“The PDP, as the main opposition party, must provide a credible alternative to the ruling party and not become its appendage,” he declared.
He further argued that democracy could only thrive where opposition parties possessed the organisational strength and independence to challenge government policies and hold those in power accountable.
“Democracy survives only when the opposition is strong enough to effectively engage the government,” the statement added.
The position underscores the political stakes surrounding the protracted leadership battle, which has gone beyond the question of who occupies the party’s national offices to raise broader concerns about the PDP’s direction, identity and capacity to remain a formidable opposition platform.
2027 Looms As PDP’s Leadership War Drags On
The latest judgment comes at a particularly sensitive moment for the PDP, with preparations for the 2027 general elections gathering momentum and opposition forces facing pressure to consolidate their political structures.
The continuing dispute over the party’s national organs, internal decisions and authority to represent the PDP before electoral institutions has created uncertainty over its organisational stability.
Although Wednesday’s ruling does not automatically settle every aspect of the party’s wider leadership crisis, it leaves the Turaki-led faction without the judicial order it sought to compel INEC to recognise its interim committee.
The planned appeal to the Supreme Court means the legal confrontation is far from over, with the apex court potentially facing another crucial decision in the battle for control of the opposition party.
For a party that once dominated Nigeria’s political landscape for 16 years, the spectacle of competing leadership claims, courtroom battles and unresolved internal disagreements represents another major test of its political survival.
With the 2027 elections approaching, the PDP now faces a critical choice: resolve its internal war, restore confidence among its members and rebuild its political machinery, or risk entering another electoral contest weakened by the very divisions threatening its existence.
Meanwhile, the PDP faction loyal to Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Barrister Nyesom Wike has said the unanimous judgment of the appellate court had reaffirmed the legitimacy of the National Working Committee led by Alhaji Abdulrahman Mohammed as National Chairman and Senator Samuel N. Anyanwu as National Secretary.
The party described the ruling as a major legal victory and a decisive endorsement of its recognised leadership, insisting that the judgment had reinforced the supremacy of its constitution and established internal procedures.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, and signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Hon. Jungudo Haruna Mohammed, the PDP said the Court of Appeal upheld the earlier decision of the Federal High Court in Abuja, which dismissed the suit filed by the Wabara-led group.
The appellants included Professor Jerry Gana, former Niger State Governor Babangida Muazu Aliyu, Maryam Inna Ciroma and other stakeholders operating alongside what the party described as an illegal interim National Working Committee led by Turaki.
According to the PDP, the appellate court not only affirmed the dismissal of the suit but also awarded additional costs against the appellants.
The party maintained that the unanimous decision had further strengthened the position of the Abdulrahman Mohammed-led NWC as the authentic leadership authorised to conduct its affairs.
It said the judgment should put an end to what it described as lingering doubts about the legitimacy of its recognised leadership.
The statement added that the ruling sent a clear message that the affairs of the opposition party must be conducted in accordance with its constitution, established procedures and the rule of law.
The PDP consequently urged its members, leaders and stakeholders to respect the court’s pronouncement, close ranks and redirect their energies towards rebuilding the party and strengthening internal cohesion.
It warned against factional interests, unnecessary distractions and divisive tendencies, arguing that the party’s immediate priority should be restoring unity and repositioning itself as a credible political alternative ahead of future electoral contests.
“Today’s judgment is not merely a legal victory; it is a victory for constitutional order, legitimate leadership and the unity of our great party,” the statement declared.
The party further proclaimed that it was moving forward stronger and more united, while congratulating its recognised leadership and supporters over the appellate court’s decision.
