By Nchetachi Chukwuajah
The Supreme Court of Nigeria has fixed April 22 for the hearing of appeals arising from the internal leadership crisis of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The appeals were filed by the Kabiru Tanimu-led faction of the party, challenging the judgements of the Court of Appeal delivered on March 9.
A five-member panel of the Supreme Court, headed by Justice Mohammed Garba, fixed the date on Tuesday, April 14, after granting an application for accelerated hearing.
The apex court also shortened the time within which parties are to file their briefs, directing respondents to file their responses within five days, while the appellants were given two days to file any reply.
Present during Tuesday’s proceedings at the apex court were the Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, Turaki, and other party figures.
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The appeals followed the judgement of the Court of Appeal in Abuja, which upheld the judgment delivered by Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising the outcome of the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) national convention held in Ibadan, Oyo State.
The Appeal Court’s judgement was a unanimous decision delivered on Monday, March 9, by a three-member panel led by Justice Uchechukwu Onyemenam.
In its ruling, the Appeal Court dismissed an appeal filed by a faction of the PDP led by Kabiru Turaki (SAN) challenging the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court to entertain the suit.
The appeal was part of nine harmonised appeals brought by the Turaki-led PDP faction against the judgement of the Federal High Court in Abuja delivered on October 31, 2025, barring INEC from recognising the outcome of the party’s Ibadan convention.
The appellate court maintained that the Federal High Court had jurisdiction to hear the suit and dismissed the stance that the dispute was the party’s internal affair.
According to the court, the appellants could not “repackage a clear violation of the party constitution and that of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as an internal party affair.”
The court also held that the PDP faction did not comply with the constitutional and statutory provisions required before a valid national convention could be held, noting that the party did not serve any valid notice of the convention on INEC as required by law and that valid congresses were not conducted in more than 14 states before the convention was convened.
It stated, “Non-compliance with the 1999 Constitution, Electoral Act 2022, and party Constitution and Guidelines are at the heart of democratic governance, and compliance must be strictly enforced in the interest of democracy,” the court held.
The appeal was consequently dismissed by the Appeal Court and awarded N2 million in costs against the appellants.
