Supreme Court Sets April 22 for Hearing of PDP Turaki Group Appeals Over Ibadan Convention Ruling

The Supreme Court has fixed April 22, 2026, for the hearing of two separate appeals filed by a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) faction led by Kabiru Turaki, in a fresh push to overturn the Court of Appeal’s decision that invalidated the party’s Ibadan National Convention.

The disputed convention, held on November 15 and 16, 2025, has remained a major flashpoint in the PDP’s deepening internal crisis, with rival camps still locked in a legal battle over its legitimacy.

A five-member panel of the apex court, led by Justice Lawal Garba, granted the Turaki-led group’s request for accelerated hearing and approved a departure from procedural rules to shorten timelines for filing legal arguments.

In the first appeal, the Turaki faction is challenging the Court of Appeal’s ruling delivered in favour of a rival PDP group aligned with Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike.

The court also ordered that hearing notices be served on Mohammed Abdulrahman, the seventh respondent, who was absent when the matter was called on Tuesday.

Counsel to the Turaki group, Chris Uche, urged the court to treat the case with urgency, arguing that the outcome could affect preparations for the 2027 general elections and aligning party activities with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) timetable.

He also submitted an affidavit describing the matter as one of “extreme urgency.”

However, counsel representing Austin Nwachukwu and others, Emmanuel Ukala (SAN), requested 15 days to respond, citing the need to obtain relevant records from the Court of Appeal judgment that nullified the Ibadan convention.

The Supreme Court, in its ruling, ordered all respondents to file their responses within five days each before fixing the accelerated hearing date.

In a second appeal involving Sule Lamido and other party stakeholders, the apex court also granted accelerated hearing and abridged timelines before scheduling the matter for the same April 22 date.

Lamido had previously challenged his exclusion from the national chairmanship race, a dispute that contributed to earlier Federal High Court orders halting the convention process.

Lower courts had already issued rulings that voided the Ibadan convention, restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising its outcomes, and limited access to the party’s national secretariat.

The Turaki-led faction insists the convention followed due process and argues that internal party disputes should not be subject to judicial interference.

The upcoming Supreme Court hearing is expected to play a decisive role in shaping the leadership structure of the PDP ahead of the 2027 election cycle.