The Supreme Court has voided the national convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) held in Ibadan, Oyo State, in November 2025, delivering a decisive blow to the Tanimu Turaki-led faction of the party.
The convention, conducted on November 15 and 16, 2025, had produced Turaki and other members of a factional National Working Committee, whose legitimacy has been challenged in court.
The apex court’s decision affirms earlier rulings by both the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal, which had invalidated the exercise on grounds of non-compliance with electoral guidelines and internal party procedures.
Prior to the Supreme Court ruling, lower courts had held that the PDP failed to meet key legal requirements, including proper conduct of state congresses and adequate notification to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), rendering the convention invalid.
The Turaki-led faction had approached the Supreme Court seeking to overturn those judgments, arguing that the matter was an internal party affair beyond judicial interference.
However, the apex court’s verdict effectively settles the dispute in favour of earlier decisions, reinforcing judicial oversight in matters where party actions intersect with electoral law and constitutional provisions.
The ruling is expected to further deepen the leadership crisis within the PDP, as rival factions continue to battle for control of the party structure ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Political analysts say the judgment could have far-reaching implications for the party’s ability to organise primaries and present candidates, especially as timelines set by INEC draw closer.
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