Court of Appeal Reserves Judgment in 9 PDP Appeals

By Momodu Favour

The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja has reserved judgment in nine appeals filed by rival factions of the PDP over the party’s disputed national convention slated for November 15 and 16 in Ibadan, Oyo State.

The appeals were instituted by the Turaki-led faction of the party and another bloc loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, challenging decisions of a Federal High Court which halted the planned convention.

The trial court had restrained the PDP from proceeding with the convention following suits that questioned the legality of the processes leading to the exercise, citing alleged breaches of the party’s constitution, procedural irregularities and disputes over the composition of committees responsible for organising the convention.

The conflicting claims further exposed the deepening leadership crisis within the main opposition party, with both factions asserting legitimacy and accusing each other of attempting to hijack the party’s structure.

At the resumed hearing of the appeals in Abuja, counsel for the appellants adopted their written briefs and urged the appellate court to set aside the rulings of the lower court, arguing that the Federal High Court lacked jurisdiction to interfere in what they described as the internal affairs of a political party, particularly in matters relating to the conduct of a national convention.

They contended that the restraining orders disrupted the party’s democratic processes and undermined its ability to reorganise ahead of future electoral activities.

Counsel for the respondents, however, asked the appellate court to uphold the decisions of the trial court, maintaining that the lower court acted within its powers to prevent actions that could violate existing court orders and party guidelines, insisting that due process must be followed in convening a national convention.

After listening to submissions from all parties, the three-member panel of justices reserved judgment to a date to be communicated to counsel.

The outcome of the appeals is expected to have significant implications for the PDP’s leadership structure and internal stability as political activities gradually intensify ahead of the 2027 general elections.