A Federal High Court in Abuja has been asked to recuse its judge, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, from a case involving the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The request was made by the Kabiru Turaki-led faction of the party, which claims there is a “reasonable and well-founded apprehension of bias” in how the matter has been handled. The faction’s legal team, led by Chris Uche, argued that the case was improperly assigned to Justice Abdulmalik despite previous petitions and letters requesting reassignment due to perceived partisanship.
The suit, filed by a rival PDP faction aligned with Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike, seeks to restrain the police and the Department of State Services from allowing the Turaki-led leadership access to the party’s national secretariat at Wadata Plaza, Abuja. The plaintiffs, including the PDP, acting National Chairman Alhaji Mohammed Abdulrahman, and factional National Secretary Samuel Anyanwu, also asked the court to prevent the Turaki-led group from presenting themselves as PDP representatives and to recognize only the leadership recorded in the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) official records.
The Turaki-led faction has filed a motion requesting Justice Abdulmalik to recuse herself from the case, citing concerns about fairness and impartiality. Uche argued that an ex-parte order was issued against his clients in a manner resembling previous orders by another judge, despite no urgent circumstances. The judge has adjourned the matter to allow parties to regularize their filings, fixing January 14, 2026, for the hearing of all pending applications and the substantive suit.
In a related development, a second suit filed by the Turaki-led faction was also heard, seeking an order directing police officers to vacate Wadata Plaza. Justice Abdulmalik ordered all parties to file their processes ahead of the next hearing, scheduled for January 16, 2026. The ongoing leadership dispute within the PDP has significant implications for the party’s future and its ability to contest upcoming elections. The court’s decisions in these cases will be closely watched by party members, political analysts, and the general public.