PDP Leadership Tussle: Court Fixes January 23 for Turaki Faction’s Motion

The Federal High Court in Abuja has adjourned further proceedings in the ongoing leadership dispute within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), setting January 23, 2026, for the hearing of a motion filed by the Kabiru Turaki–led faction seeking a stay of further action in the matter.

The dispute centres on rival claims to the party’s national leadership following a controversial convention and subsequent court challenges.

Justice Joyce Abdulmalik made the adjournment on Wednesday after counsel for the Turaki faction indicated that a formal response to their application for a stay of proceedings was being prepared.

The motion relates to a suit filed by a group aligned with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, through its acting National Chairman, Mohammed Abdulrahman, and factional National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu.

The plaintiffs’ suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2501/2025, seeks to restrain the Turaki faction from representing itself as the PDP leadership and from accessing the party’s national secretariat at Wadata Plaza, Abuja.

The Wike-aligned group has also asked the court to restrain the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Nigeria Police Force and the Department of State Security Services from recognising or facilitating access for the Turaki faction.

They further urged the court to enforce earlier Federal High Court judgments delivered by Justices James Omotosho and Peter Lifu, which they say support their position.

An earlier ex-parte order had directed all parties to maintain the status quo pending the substantive determination of the suit.

In response, the Turaki faction filed an appeal at the Court of Appeal (CA/ABJ/CV/1770/2025) and also moved to stay proceedings in the trial court, arguing that the appeal, once entered, should halt further trial court activity.

Counsel for the faction also filed a motion asking Justice Abdulmalik to recuse herself on grounds of perceived bias, asserting that previous orders were issued without genuine urgency and impacted substantive issues in the case.

Counsel for the plaintiffs, Onyechi Ikpeazu, maintained that an appeal against an interlocutory decision does not automatically stay the proceedings, referencing relevant Court of Appeal rules governing stay applications.

Justice Abdulmalik directed that a formal response be filed and adjourned the matter until January 23 for the hearing of the stay application.

Speaking with journalists after the court session, the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP National Working Caretaker Committee, Jungudo Mohammed, said the plaintiffs remain hopeful that the court will grant their requests, citing two prior Federal High Court judgments that stopped a planned convention in Oyo State, which they say was conducted in defiance of existing court orders.