Court Rejects Appeal Over PDP Interim Leadership

The Court of Appeal in Abuja on Wednesday turned down an appeal that wanted the Independent National Electoral Commission to recognize the Interim National Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party.

A three-member panel led by Justice Ugochukwu Anthony Ogakwu, along with Justices Laja Balogun and Ruquayat Oremei Ayoola, made the ruling. They dismissed the appeal marked CA/ABJ/CV/1221/2026.

Senator Adolphus Wabara and seven others filed the appeal against INEC and six other parties involved. The appellants included the Chairman and members of the PDP Board of Trustees and some founding members.

They wanted the court to overturn a previous judgment from a Federal High Court. This earlier decision, made by Justice Salim, refused to force INEC to accept the Interim National Working Committee led by Kabiru Turaki.

The interim committee was set up after a National Executive Committee meeting that followed a Supreme Court ruling regarding the party’s leadership issues. But the Court of Appeal supported the Federal High Court’s decision and dismissed the appeal completely.

After the ruling, Comrade Ini Ememobong, the National Publicity Secretary for the Interim National Working Committee, shared their reaction on X. He said the group respected the court’s decision but planned to challenge it at the Supreme Court.

In a statement on Wednesday, Ememobong said they remain committed to fighting for what they see as justice. "We are determined to take our quest for justice anchored on truth to the apex court in the land. It is our belief that no matter how deep the truth is buried, if those seeking it are persistent in digging, it will one day resurface," he stated.

He also mentioned that their lawyers had been told to start the appeal process at the Supreme Court right away. "We have instructed our lawyers to immediately file an appeal before the Supreme Court, in the hope that justice will eventually be done," he added.

The statement noted how crucial it is to have a strong opposition party for Nigeria’s democracy. It argued that the PDP should remain an independent political force that can hold the ruling party accountable.

It stated, "The PDP, as the main opposition party, must provide a credible alternative to the ruling party and not become its appendage."

"Democracy survives only when the opposition is strong enough to effectively engage the government," it added.

The interim NWC called on party members to stay strong as the legal battle moves to the Supreme Court. They expressed confidence that the outcome would help strengthen multiparty democracy in Nigeria.

This latest ruling is another chapter in the ongoing leadership crisis within the PDP. The party has faced issues with competing claims over who controls its national leadership and structures.