2027: PDP factional chairman claims judiciary favours APC over opposition

Kabiru Turaki, the factional chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has accused President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of manipulating the judiciary. He says this manipulation affects the way courts handle disputes involving opposition parties, often to the advantage of the government.

Mr Turaki, who served as a minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs, criticized court decisions against opposition parties. He described these judgments as being delivered in a “brazen and shameless manner” to support factions aligned with the ruling party.

He pointed to the recognition of the Nyesom Wike-backed PDP faction, led by Abdulrahman Mohammed, as the legitimate leadership of the party. This faction is now backing the Rainbow Coalition promoted by Mr Wike, a party member currently serving as minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), to support Mr Tinubu’s re-election in 2027.

Mr Turaki made these claims during a press conference in Abuja on Saturday.

“Another trick from the APC playbook is the judicialisation of politics, where the courts are used to create obstacles for the opposition and to remove the uncertainty that comes with a closely contested election. How else can we explain the numerous cases and judgments that have led to the derecognition, deregistration and destabilisation of opposition parties?

“All opposition parties have faced this problem, where the judiciary is used to resolve political issues in a way that favours the ruling party. This happens in a brazen and shameless way, with those gaining from it being known supporters of the governing APC, involved in an anti-democratic group called the Rainbow Coalition,” he said.

Mr Turaki warned that these actions could threaten Nigeria’s democracy and create space for authoritarian rule.

“Today, the ruling party, the All Progressives Congress, and the Presidency, led by a pseudo-democrat, are racing down a path that leads to the destruction of democracy. This path includes shrinking the political space, using violence against the opposition, and ‘buying’ opposition leaders, along with the judicialisation of politics.

“History, both here and abroad, shows that these paths lead to one outcome: the end of democracy and the rise of full authoritarian rule, which oppresses the people and harms the nation,” he added.

The factional chairman called on the president to stop allegedly influencing the judiciary and allow the people to choose their leaders freely.

“Nigerians should be allowed to choose their leaders at all levels without fear. Right now, public officials are threatening voters to leave their areas if they do not vote for the APC. This is a widespread problem, and some officials are carrying out these threats by using violence against the opposition,” he said.

The Court of Appeal, in a unanimous judgment last Wednesday, upheld a previous decision from the Federal High Court that dismissed a suit challenging the leadership of the Wike-backed PDP faction, chaired by Mr Mohammed.

The appeal was brought by the PDP Board of Trustees (BoT), led by former Senate President Adolphus Wabara, which wanted the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognize the interim National Working Committee (NWC) led by Mr Turaki.

The appellants argued that their committee came from a National Executive Committee meeting held after a Supreme Court ruling on the party’s leadership crisis. However, the appellate court supported the lower court's dismissal of their suit.

Mr Turaki’s faction is thinking about going to the Supreme Court to challenge the latest Court of Appeal decision.

The PDP’s legal battle is happening alongside a similar issue in the African Democratic Congress (ADC). A Federal High Court in Abuja, on 5 November, annulled its NWC led by former Senate President David Mark and invalidated decisions made by that faction.

Judge Peter Lifu, who delivered the judgment, said the Mark-led NWC, which held the party’s presidential primary that nominated former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar for the 2027 election, was illegally formed.

The suit was brought by Nafiu Bala Gombe, a former deputy national chairman of the ADC. He argued that after the resignation of the party’s former National Chairman, Ralph Nwosu, he had the right to lead the party.

The court agreed with the plaintiff, removed the national officers under the Mark-led leadership, and invalidated candidates nominated by that faction to INEC for the 2027 elections.

The judgment also told INEC not to recognize decisions made at the party’s 99th National Executive Committee meeting on 27 July 2025 and all subsequent actions, including candidate nominations.

However, this judgment does not mean the ADC itself has been deregistered. It only invalidates the leadership structure that produced its candidates, including Atiku, and puts the party’s role in the 2027 elections in serious doubt until an appeal is resolved.

This situation is important because the ADC has become a platform for notable opposition figures who want to challenge President Bola Tinubu and the APC in 2027. The party plans to appeal the decision in the courts.

Mr Turaki also accused the president and the APC of using different strategies to weaken opposition parties before the 2027 elections.

“This is a very bad situation that harms our democracy and opens the door for authoritarianism. It is clear that President Tinubu and the APC are not ready for fair elections, which is why they are using every trick to weaken any credible opposition party,” he added.

He advised President Tinubu to rethink his approach, warning that he cannot impose himself on Nigerians in the 2027 elections.

“We want to remind the president, his aides, INEC and security agencies that they can force a result on the people, but they cannot make the country accept their actions. As we have said before, and it is worth repeating, there are two elections coming up: one for the heart of the country and the other for the office of the President.

“The president and his team seem to be focused only on the latter, the office of the President, not on winning the trust of the citizens. Our question is: what will it gain their party and candidates if they force a ‘win’ in the elections, but lose the country and damage democracy?”

Mr Turaki also condemned attacks on opposition figures, including Peter Obi of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and Omoyele Sowore of the African Action Congress (AAC).

Mr Obi’s convoy was attacked on 4 November near Watt Market Roundabout in Calabar, Cross River State, while returning from the palace of the Obong of Calabar to the Metropolitan Hotel, where a presidential town hall meeting was scheduled. Suspected hoodlums attacked the vehicles with sticks and machetes, smashing some windows.

On 5 November, suspected political thugs attacked Mr Atiku’s campaign convoy in Kebbi State, throwing stones and damaging cameras and other equipment belonging to journalists with the campaign team.

On 30 October, Mr Sowore was injured during a fight with some people at a restaurant in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State. His associates claimed on social media that he had been kidnapped by armed thugs sent by the government and accused the DSS of helping the attackers find him.

But the Ekiti State Police Command denied that he was kidnapped, saying initial information showed he had a fight with some people at the restaurant. The police said officers rescued him and took him to the Police Hospital in Ado-Ekiti, where he got treatment for his injuries.

Mr Turaki blamed the ruling party for these attacks, saying the president’s political style encourages violence.

“We strongly condemn the ongoing attacks on the opposition. Mr Peter Obi and NDC supporters have faced repeated attacks in various states, the latest being in Delta State. Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and ADC rally convoys have faced attempts to block them from entering Sokoto and have been denied access to campaign facilities. Mr Omoyele Sowore was seriously attacked and hurt in Ekiti.

“In all these cases, it seems to point directly to suspected APC operatives, who are clearly encouraged by President Tinubu’s ‘all is fair in politics, as in war’ statement. These thugs agree with the President that political victory is not served on a platter but must be snatched away. That is not how to do politics in a civilised manner,” he said.

Mr Turaki said the president can still change his ways, urging him to openly and clearly condemn political violence. He called on security agencies to investigate and prosecute anyone involved in attacks on opposition candidates and supporters, regardless of their political party.

He also asked security agencies, through the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES), to publish a security plan for the elections. This plan should ensure the safety of all candidates, campaign rallies and voters, no matter their party.

The factional chairman demanded that all levels of government stop denying opposition parties access to public facilities for their campaigns and that public officials stop threatening voters.

He urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to fix problems and alleged wrongful entries in the voters’ register.

He called on the judiciary to provide justice according to the law, not based on the desires of the executive.

Mr Turaki encouraged his faction's supporters to stay strong in defending Nigeria’s democracy.

“We ask Nigerians to hold firm in the fight for democracy. We must not give up; instead, we should keep demanding accountability, responsible leadership and the benefits of democracy. The 2027 elections give us a great chance to choose leaders who will put the people first,” he said.