The Court of Appeal in Ibadan has indefinitely adjourned the hearing of competing appeals from two factions of Nigeria’s Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) regarding the legality of the party’s 2025 National Convention. The adjournment comes as the court urged the warring groups to pursue an out-of-court settlement amid looming electoral deadlines.
The convention, held in Ibadan, produced Alhaji Tanimu Turaki as the party’s National Chairman. A rival faction, led by Alhaji Mohammed AbdulRahman and reportedly backed by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, contested the outcome.
The dispute has already produced conflicting rulings in lower courts. The Federal High Court in Ibadan, in a suit filed by the AbdulRahman faction, had previously invalidated the convention’s results. Conversely, Justice Ladiran Akintola of the Oyo State High Court, in a separate case brought by the Turaki faction, ruled that the convention complied with both the PDP’s constitution and the Electoral Act.
Both factions subsequently appealed their respective losses to the Court of Appeal in Ibadan. During proceedings on Wednesday, a three-member panel, led by Justice Biobele Georgewill, inquired about the progress of settlement talks. This followed an application last week by the Turaki faction to withdraw its appeal, signaling a potential shift toward resolution.
Counsel for the PDP, Mr. Musibau Adetunbi, SAN, and Mr. Jimoh Mumini, SAN, confirmed that settlement discussions were ongoing in principle. Mr. Sunday Ameh, SAN, representing AbdulRahman, Samuel Anyanwu, and Mao Ohuabunwa, stated his clients were also amenable to negotiation. Counsel for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mrs. F. Ajiboye, expressed the commission’s preference for an amicable resolution.
Justice Georgewill subsequently adjourned the matter indefinitely, citing the parties’ demonstrated willingness to settle. He stressed the urgency, noting that INEC’s timetable for the 2027 general elections would not wait for the party’s internal crisis. The court advised legal professionals to guide their clients thoroughly, stating that settlement inherently involves compromise. Justice Georgewill also noted the court was aware of a recent, separate Court of Appeal judgment on the same issue in Abuja but would not transfer the case, given the current settlement trajectory.
The parties were directed to inform the court promptly once settlement terms are finalized or if talks collapse, at which point a new hearing date would be set. The indefinite adjournment places the onus on the PDP factions to resolve their leadership dispute swiftly, with the appellate court emphasizing that the party’s future cohesion now depends on their ability to negotiate a mutually acceptable agreement ahead of the next electoral cycle.
