Supreme Court Sets April 22 Date for PDP Leadership Dispute Appeals

The Supreme Court has set April 22, 2026, as the date to hear two separate appeals lodged by the faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led by Kabiru Turaki. These appeals aim to challenge a previous ruling by the Court of Appeal that declared the Ibadan National Convention, held on November 15-16, 2025, invalid.

A five-judge panel at the apex court, presided over by Justice Lawal Garba, approved the Turaki-led faction's request for an expedited hearing and an exception to standard rules to shorten the period for submitting arguments.

In the first appeal, which pits the Turaki faction against the PDP group aligned with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, the court mandated that hearing notices be delivered to Mohammed Abdulrahman, identified as the seventh respondent. Abdulrahman was not present when the case was initially heard on Tuesday.

During the proceedings, Chris Uche (SAN), representing the Turaki faction, brought to the court's attention the pending applications. He emphasized the critical need for swift action to align with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) schedule in preparation for the upcoming 2027 general elections, also submitting an affidavit asserting extreme urgency.

Emmanuel Ukala (SAN), counsel for Austin Nwachukwu and two other respondents, requested a 15-day extension to submit his response. He cited the necessity of obtaining all pertinent court documents related to the Court of Appeal's decision that invalidated the Ibadan Convention.

Nevertheless, the Supreme Court instructed all nine respondents to file their replies within five days each. The court then confirmed April 22, 2026, as the date for hearing the appeal.

The second appeal, also filed by the Turaki-led faction against individuals including former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido, similarly received approval for an accelerated hearing and an abridged timeline for submissions. This appeal has also been scheduled for hearing on April 22, 2026.

Sule Lamido had initiated legal action concerning his alleged exclusion from the race for the national chairmanship, which had previously led to orders from Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court to halt the convention.

Previous judgments from lower courts, including the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal, have largely been unfavorable to the Turaki faction. These rulings have invalidated the Ibadan Convention, prevented INEC from recognizing its outcomes, and, in some instances, restricted access to the party's national secretariat.

The Turaki group contends in their Supreme Court appeal that the dispute falls under the category of internal party matters, which they argue are not subject to judicial review, and asserts that the party's procedures were correctly followed.