The supreme court has invalidated the national convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) held in Ibadan, Oyo state, on November 15 and 16, 2025.
In a split decision delivered on Thursday, three out of five justices of the apex court held that the appeal filed by the Tanimu Turaki-led faction of the PDP lacks merit.
Stephen Adah, who read the majority decision, held that the appellants violated a susbsisting order of the federal high court which restrained them from proceeding with the planned convention.
The appeal marked SC/CV/164/2026 stems from a decision of Peter Lifu, judge of a federal high court in Abuja, who issued a temporary order on November 11, restraining the party from proceeding with the planned convention pending the determination of a substantive suit filed by Sule Lamido, former governor of Jigawa state.
On November 14, he made a final order restraining the PDP from conducting its national convention.
In his judgment, Lifu held that the evidence before the court established that Lamido was “unjustly denied” the opportunity to obtain a nomination form to contest the position of national chairman of the party, in violation of the PDP constitution and its internal regulations.
The decision was later upheld by the court of appeal on March 9.
Aggrieved, the PDP faction further appealed the decision of the appellate court.
In the majority judgment, Adah held that the appellants went ahead in “flagrant disregard” to the subsisting order of the federal high court.
The apex court held that instead of abiding by the order of the lower court or appealing the order immediately, the PDP went ahead to abuse court process by filing a similar case before another court of coordinate jurisdiction.
“The appellant did not go on appeal but rather went to another court of coordinate jurisdiction… Orders of courts must be obeyed and remain binding until set aside. Even whether it is regular or irregular or even perverse…,” the court held.
The court also noted that the appellants in their appeal did not challenge the findings of the court of appeal that criticised the party for disobeying a subsisting court order.
Consequently, Adah upheld the verdict of the appellate court and dismissed the appeal.
In a dissenting judgment, Simon Tsammani, who read the lead dissenting decision, held that the issue of disobedience to court order was not raised by any of the parties in the appeal. Rather, it was raised on the court’s observation.
Tsammani also held that the federal high court lacked the jurisdiction to preside over an internal party affair. Consequently, he upheld the appeal.
Sadiq Umar, another justice of the apex court, agreed with Tsammani’s decision.
