Federal High Court Set to Deliver Judgment on Turaki-Led PDP Leadership Recognition Suit

The Federal High Court in Abuja is scheduled to announce its judgment on Friday in a case brought by the Senator Adolphus Wabara‑led Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) concerning the party’s ongoing leadership dispute.

Justice Ibrahim had reserved the ruling on July 7 after counsel for the parties filed their written arguments and presented oral submissions.

The suit, filed on June 4 as FHC/ABJ/CS/1159/2026, seeks to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise the interim National Working Committee (NWC) headed by Kabir Turaki (SAN) on its official website and to update its records with the names of the Turaki‑led executives submitted to INEC on May 4.

Plaintiffs include former Senate President Adolphus Wabara, former Niger State governor Muazu Babangida Aliyu, ex‑Minister of Information Prof. Jerry Gana, PDP chieftain Olabode George, former Women Affairs ministers Maryam Ciroma and Zainab Maina, Board of Trustees and NEC member Esther Uduehi, and the PDP itself.

INEC is the sole defendant, while a faction aligned with Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Nyesom Wike challenged the court’s jurisdiction and sought to be added as additional defendants.

During earlier hearings, lead counsel Chief Chris Uche (SAN) represented the eight plaintiffs, whereas Sunday Ameh (SAN) appeared for the PDP, which was listed as the eighth plaintiff.

The Wike‑backed side, represented by Emmanuel Ukala (SAN), applied to join the case as additional defendants, arguing that the suit should be dismissed in its entirety. They contended that the PDP did not authorise Uche to file the action in its name and requested a change of counsel and the removal of the party from the suit.

Uche opposed those requests, describing them as misconceived and frivolous, and urged the court to dismiss both the change‑of‑counsel application and the bid to strike the PDP from the proceedings.

The plaintiffs stressed the time‑sensitive nature of the matter, citing INEC’s revised timetable for the 2027 general elections, which sets July 17 as the deadline for parties to upload candidate names.

INEC and the opposing parties filed preliminary objections and counter‑affidavits, asking the court to dismiss the suit. The forthcoming judgment will decide whether INEC must recognise and publish the Turaki‑led interim NWC or uphold the objections raised by the Wike‑aligned faction.