Court Again Nullifies PDP’s 2025 Ibadan Convention, Bars INEC From Recognising Outcomes
Abuja, Nigeria — The Federal High Court in Abuja has once again nullified the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) national convention held in Ibadan in November 2025, ruling that all decisions and outcomes from the gathering remain invalid.
Delivering judgment on Monday, March 30, 2026, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not to recognise any leadership or resolutions emanating from the convention.
The ruling aligns with a recent decision of the Court of Appeal and comes just hours after a Wike-aligned faction of the PDP concluded a separate national convention in Abuja, where Abdulrahman Mohammed emerged as National Chairman.
Justice Abdulmalik held that the Ibadan convention, conducted between November 15 and 16, 2025, contravened Section 287(3) of the Nigerian Constitution, as well as the PDP’s internal rules and subsisting court orders.
She described actions taken during the convention, including the expulsion and suspension of certain party members, as an “affront to subsisting judgment” and a “direct assault on a democratic and principled society governed by the rule of law.”
According to the court, all proceedings from the Ibadan gathering are “unconstitutional, unlawful, null and void, and of no effect.”
Access to Secretariat, Security Protection Ordered
In a further directive, the court ordered that the Wike-aligned faction be granted immediate access to the PDP National Secretariat in Abuja, which had been sealed following violent clashes between rival factions last year.
The judge also instructed relevant security agencies to provide adequate protection to enable the group to operate within the facility without disruption.
Legal Dispute and Parties Involved
The suit was instituted by members of the Wike faction, including Mohammed Abdulrahman and Samuel Anyanwu, seeking to restrain the Kabiru Turaki-led group from parading themselves as the party’s leadership.
Justice Abdulmalik ruled that all defendants in the matter, including INEC and the Nigeria Police, are bound to enforce existing court judgments and must not recognise the outcomes of the disputed convention.
She stated unequivocally that the defendants “are not entitled to recognise or give effect, in any manner whatsoever, to the purported National Convention held on 15 and 16 November 2025.”
Court Rejects Bias Allegation, Affirms Jurisdiction
Before addressing the substantive issues, the court dismissed an application by the defendants requesting that Justice Abdulmalik recuse herself over alleged bias.
The judge held that claims of bias remain subjective and unsupported, noting that there was no credible evidence to justify such an allegation.
She further emphasised that the process of writing judgments is the exclusive responsibility of the court, not subject to external influence.
Additionally, the court rejected objections challenging its jurisdiction, affirming that the matter involves the interpretation and enforcement of constitutional provisions, which falls squarely within its authority.
The ruling adds another layer to the prolonged leadership crisis within the PDP, as rival factions continue to seek judicial validation of their claims, with some parties now looking up to the Supreme Court for final determination.