Appeal Court Rejects PDP Board’s Suit Against INEC Over Leadership Recognition

The Court of Appeal in Abuja has dismissed a lawsuit from the Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), led by Senator Adolphus Wabara. The suit aimed to have the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) recognize a rival faction led by Tanimu Turaki.

In a unanimous decision, the court upheld a previous ruling from July, stating that the plaintiffs did not have the legal right to bring the case. The court described the appeal as lacking merit and labeled it an unnecessary use of the judicial system.

The court also maintained a cost of ₦70 million imposed on the plaintiffs by the lower court and awarded an additional ₦5 million to three groups involved in the case.

This legal battle is part of a broader leadership crisis within the PDP. The Wabara-led Board was trying to validate actions taken by the Turaki faction, including a convention held in November 2025 that reportedly named former President Goodluck Jonathan as its consensus candidate for the 2027 elections.

A rival group challenged the lawsuit, arguing that the Wabara-led Board did not have the authority to act on behalf of the party. The Federal High Court had previously dismissed the case, stating that the plaintiffs did not prove the legitimacy of the interim committee and that the case attempted to revisit issues already decided by the courts.