The leadership crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) took another turn on Friday as the Kabiru Turaki-led Interim National Working Committee (NWC) rejected a Federal High Court judgment that struck out its suit seeking official recognition as the party’s leadership.
The faction announced that it would immediately challenge the ruling at the Court of Appeal, insisting that the trial court’s decision was inconsistent with previous judgments of the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court.
The announcement followed a judgment delivered by the Federal High Court in Abuja, where Justice Salim Olasupo Ibrahim upheld a preliminary objection raised by the defendants and declined jurisdiction to hear the case.
The suit had been filed by the PDP Board of Trustees and some founding members of the party, who were seeking, among other reliefs, judicial recognition of the Kabiru Turaki-led Interim National Working Committee.
However, the court ruled that the matter related to the internal leadership of a political party and therefore fell outside its jurisdiction.
The Turaki-led faction disclosed its position in a statement issued on Friday by its National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Ini Ememobong.
According to the statement, the court held that disputes over the leadership of the PDP amounted to the internal affairs of a political party, an area in which the court could not intervene.
“Today, the Federal High Court, Abuja Division, presided over by Justice Salim Olasupo Ibrahim, upheld the Preliminary Objection of the defendants and struck out the case filed by the Board of Trustees and some founding leaders of the Party, seeking, among other reliefs, the recognition of the Kabiru Turaki-led Interim National Working Committee,” the statement said.
It added that the court ruled that the issue before it concerned the leadership of the PDP and was therefore an internal party matter beyond the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court.
Despite the setback, the Turaki faction said it remained confident that the judgment would be overturned on appeal.
The group maintained that although it respected the court’s decision, it believed the ruling did not reflect established legal precedents handed down by higher courts.
“While we respect the judgment of the trial court, we respectfully consider that it is against the extant judgments of the Appeal and apex courts, leaving the plaintiffs with no option but to appeal the judgment and the rulings therein,” the statement read.
The faction confirmed that its legal team had already been directed to begin the appeal process without delay.
“The plaintiffs have accordingly briefed their lawyers to take immediate steps to appeal the rulings and judgment,” the statement added.
The group also expressed confidence that it would eventually succeed in its legal battle and secure recognition as the legitimate leadership of the party.
According to the statement, the appeal is not only about the leadership of the PDP but also about protecting democratic principles and strengthening opposition politics in Nigeria.
“We are hopeful that as we climb the ladder of the law upwards, the victory of truth over lies, principles over compromise and the survival of true opposition and multi-party democracy will be assured,” the statement said.
The faction further declared that despite the legal setback, it would continue its struggle until what it described as justice was achieved.
“The politics of power, money and greed may last for a while, but we are certain that though our victory may be postponed, as the struggle continues, we will eventually attain it. *Aluta continua, Victoria ascerta!*”
The latest development is another chapter in the prolonged leadership crisis that has continued to affect the PDP, Nigeria’s main opposition party.
Since losing power at the federal level in 2015, the party has faced repeated internal disputes involving its national leadership, governors, members of the National Working Committee, Board of Trustees and other stakeholders.
In recent months, disagreements over the party’s leadership structure and control of its national organs have intensified, resulting in competing claims by different groups and several court cases.
The emergence of the Kabiru Turaki-led Interim National Working Committee added another dimension to the crisis, with supporters insisting that the committee was properly constituted to reposition the party.
However, other factions within the PDP have rejected the claim, leading to legal and political battles over who has the authority to manage the affairs of the party.
The repeated court cases have also raised concerns among party members who fear that prolonged internal divisions could affect the party’s unity and electoral strength.
Under Nigerian law, courts have often maintained that issues relating strictly to the internal administration of political parties are generally non-justiciable, except where constitutional rights or provisions of the Electoral Act are involved.
This legal principle has been applied in several previous judgments involving disputes over party leadership, candidate selection and internal party administration.
The Turaki faction, however, believes that previous decisions of the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court support its position and that the trial court failed to apply those precedents correctly.
That argument will now be tested before the Court of Appeal, where the group hopes to overturn the ruling of the Federal High Court.
The outcome of the appeal is expected to determine whether the courts can consider the substantive issues raised by the plaintiffs or whether the dispute will remain strictly an internal party matter.
For now, the judgment means that the Federal High Court will not proceed with hearing the substantive claims brought by the Turaki-led faction.