The Supreme Court has fixed April 22 for the hearing of the appeal arising from the protracted leadership crisis rocking the opposition Peoples Democratic Party.
In the proceedings on Tuesday, a five-member panel of the apex court led by Justice Mohammed Garba granted accelerated hearing in the matters and issued strict timelines for the filing and exchange of processes.
Present at the court were Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, factional national chairman, Tanimu Turaki (SAN), national secretary, Taofeek Arapaja, among other party figures.
Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, was, however, absent, as the governor is reportedly planning his defection to another party to meet the Independent National Electoral Commission deadline.
The PDP appeal was filed by the Turaki-led faction, challenging the nullification of the party’s Ibadan national convention.
The appellants — the PDP, its National Working Committee and National Executive Committee — had, in a motion filed on April 8 through their counsel, Chris Uche (SAN), urged the court to abridge time for the filing of briefs.
Moving the application, Uche argued that the circumstances of the case warranted urgent determination “in the interest of justice.”
He told the court that INEC had fixed April 23 as the commencement date for submission of candidates by political parties, making a speedy resolution imperative.
Uche further informed the court that an affidavit of extreme urgency had been filed to justify the request for an accelerated hearing.
Although counsel for the rival PDP faction loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, Emmanuel Ukala, did not oppose the application, he requested 15 days to respond to the appeal, while INEC’s counsel sought 10 days.
The apex court, however, granted the application for accelerated hearing and abridged the time for filing processes.
The court directed all respondents to file their briefs within five days, while the appellants were given two days to file replies on points of law, where necessary.
It further ordered that all processes must be filed and exchanged before April 21, ahead of the April 22 hearing.
The appeals stem from the March 9 judgments of the Court of Appeal, which affirmed earlier rulings of the Federal High Court in Abuja nullifying the PDP’s national convention held in Ibadan, Oyo State, in November 2025.
The lower courts held that the convention was conducted in breach of subsisting court orders and in violation of statutory provisions, including the Electoral Act and the party’s constitution.
Specifically, the Federal High Court, in decisions delivered by Justices James Omotosho and Peter Lifu, restrained the party from proceeding with the convention, citing failure to comply with mandatory requirements such as proper notice to INEC and the conduct of valid congresses in several states.
Dissatisfied with the concurrent judgments, the Turaki-led leadership approached the Supreme Court, seeking to overturn the decisions and validate the convention that produced the current party leadership.
It was earlier reported that the PDP crisis has evolved into a full-blown factional battle, with rival blocs laying claim to the party’s leadership structure.
The legal setbacks suffered by the Turaki camp at both the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal significantly weakened its position, effectively rendering the Ibadan convention — and the leadership it produced — legally questionable.
Yet, despite the adverse rulings, both factions have continued to operate parallel structures, deepening uncertainty within the party.
