The Supreme Court of Nigeria has nullified the national convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) held in Ibadan, Oyo State, on November 15 and 16, 2025, in a ruling that underscores ongoing legal tensions within the party.
In a split decision delivered on Thursday, three of the five justices dismissed an appeal brought by a faction of the party led by Tanimu Turaki, ruling that the case lacked merit.
Reading the lead judgment, Justice Stephen Adah faulted the party’s actions, describing them as an abuse of court process. He criticised the decision to initiate a fresh suit in a different court instead of appealing an earlier order that had directed the suspension of the planned convention and the provision of nomination forms to a national chairmanship aspirant, Sule Lamido.
The majority held that such conduct undermines judicial authority and due process, forming the basis for nullifying the convention.
However, the ruling was not unanimous. In dissenting opinions, Justice Sadiq Umar and another justice argued that the judiciary lacked jurisdiction over the matter, maintaining that the dispute was strictly an internal affair of a political party.
They further contended that the appellate court erred by independently raising the issue of disobedience to a court order without giving the parties involved an opportunity to address the matter, as required by law.
The judgment highlights persistent internal divisions within the PDP and raises broader questions about the extent to which courts can intervene in intra-party disputes, especially as political activities intensify ahead of future elections.
