The Supreme Court has nullified the National Convention of the Peoples Democratic Party held in Ibadan, Oyo State, on November 15 and 16, 2025, in a major setback for a faction of the opposition party led by former Minister of Special Duties, Tanimu Turaki, SAN.
In a split decision delivered on Thursday by a five-member panel of the apex court, three justices held that the appeal filed by the Turaki-led faction lacked merit and affirmed the concurrent findings of the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal against the conduct of the convention.
Justice Stephen Adah, who delivered the lead judgment in appeal number SC/CV/164/2026, held that the appellants violated a subsisting order of the Federal High Court restraining them from proceeding with the planned convention.
The apex court consequently dismissed both the appeal and cross-appeals and ordered parties to bear their respective costs.
The court held that disobedience of the court order was not disputed.
The apex court further agreed with the findings of the lower courts that the PDP faction abused court processes by allegedly obtaining a counter-order from a court of coordinate jurisdiction in Ibadan after an earlier restraining order had been issued by the Federal High Court.
Justice Adah stated that the lower courts were right in relying on Sections 221, 222 and 229 of the 1999 Constitution to hold that political parties must comply strictly with constitutional provisions, electoral regulations and valid court orders in the conduct of conventions and internal party affairs.
The appeal challenged the March 9 judgment of the Court of Appeal, which upheld the earlier decision of the Federal High Court nullifying the convention and restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission from recognising its outcome.
The apex court had reserved judgment in the matter after hearing arguments on April 22.
