In a significant blow to the faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led by former Minister Tanimu Turaki, SAN, the Supreme Court on Thursday nullified the National Convention held in Ibadan on November 15 and 16, 2025.
In a split decision from a five-member panel, the apex court ruled that the Turaki-led faction’s appeal lacked merit.
The court upheld previous rulings from the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal, which had already condemned the conduct of the convention.
Justice Stephen Adah, delivering the lead judgment in appeal SC/CV/164/2026, pointed out that the faction had ignored a standing legal barrier.
He held that “the appellants violated a subsisting order of the Federal High Court restraining them from proceeding with the planned convention.”
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The court emphasized that the act of defying the judiciary was clear, noting that “disobedience of the court order was not disputed.”
Furthermore, the Supreme Court slammed the faction for abusing court processes by seeking a conflicting order from a different court in Ibadan after the initial restraining order was already in place.
Justice Adah maintained that the lower courts were correct to use the 1999 Constitution to ensure political parties “comply strictly with constitutional provisions, electoral regulations and valid court orders in the conduct of conventions and internal party affairs.”
This final ruling follows the March 9 Court of Appeal judgment which stopped the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognizing any outcome from the Ibadan convention.
The apex court dismissed all appeals and cross-appeals, ordering all parties involved to cover their own legal costs.
