Rival factions of the Peoples Democratic Party say they are confident of victory as Nigeria’s Court of Appeal of Nigeria prepares to rule Monday on a series of cases that will determine the party’s leadership.
The dispute pits a faction aligned with several PDP governors against another backed by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
Ini Ememobong, national publicity secretary of the National Working Committee led by Tanimu Turaki and supported by Seyi Makinde of Oyo State and Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State, confirmed the appellate court had scheduled judgment in the consolidated suits involving the party.
Similarly, Jungudo Mohammed, national publicity secretary of the caretaker committee led by Mohammed Abdulrahman and Samuel Anyanwu and backed by Wike, said the ruling on the PDP leadership dispute would be delivered Monday in Abuja.
Both factions expressed confidence that the decision would favor them.
The PDP governors had earlier endorsed a convention held in Ibadan on Nov. 15 that produced Turaki and other members of the party’s National Working Committee for a four-year tenure.
They also supervised the transition of leadership from former acting chairman Umar Damagum to Turaki before Damagum’s tenure expired Dec. 9.
However, a rival faction loyal to Wike announced a 13-member caretaker committee on Dec. 8, appointing Abdulrahman as acting national chairman and Anyanwu as acting national secretary with a 60-day mandate.
Efforts by both factions to convene meetings at the PDP national secretariat, Wadata Plaza, on Nov. 18, 2025, turned chaotic, with reports of disorder and physical altercations.
Following the incident, the Nigeria Police Force sealed the secretariat, which has remained closed.
Both groups later sought recognition from the Independent National Electoral Commission, but the commission declined to recognize either faction, triggering a series of legal battles.
One of the consolidated cases before the appellate court is suit FHC/ABJ/CS/2120/2025, which halted the party’s convention until it complies with provisions of the Nigerian Constitution, the Electoral Act and the party’s constitution.
The case was filed by three PDP members: Austin Nwachukwu, the party’s chairman in Imo State; Amah Abraham Nnanna, chairman in Abia State; and Turnah Alabh George, the party’s South-South secretary.
Another suit was filed by former governor Sule Lamido, in which Justice Peter Lifu restrained INEC from supervising or recognizing any PDP convention that excluded the plaintiff as a contestant.
Three additional cases, including one from the Oyo State High Court, also challenge the legality of the party’s Nov. 15–16 convention.
Another suit concerns the closure of the PDP national secretariat at Wadata Plaza and was filed against the police.
The appellate court heard the consolidated cases Feb. 12 and informed the parties last week that judgment would be delivered Monday.
The ruling is expected to determine the leadership structure of the main opposition party.
Speaking ahead of the decision, Mohammed of the Wike-aligned faction said legal precedents, including rulings by the Supreme Court of Nigeria, supported their case.
“You cannot violate the Electoral Act, the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the constitution of the party in conducting a convention,” he said. “Based on the precedents we already know, we are optimistic that the judgment will be in our favor.”
He added that the group planned to organize a national convention if the ruling supports its position.
Ememobong, speaking for the Turaki-led National Working Committee, said the faction had confidence in the judiciary and believed the law supported its case.
“Our optimism lies in the fact that we submitted ourselves to the jurisdiction of the courts and we believe in the judiciary in its complete sense,” he said.
He added that the faction would study the court’s reasoning before deciding its next steps if the ruling goes against it.
The PDP Governors Forum also urged members to remain calm ahead of the judgment.
In a statement, the forum’s director general, Emmanuel Agbo, said the party remained committed to providing Nigerians with “a strong, credible and people-centered political alternative.”
Meanwhile, Funso Doherty, a PDP governorship aspirant in Lagos State, earlier urged the president of the Court of Appeal to expedite the ruling in order to provide clarity ahead of preparations for the 2027 elections.
In a letter dated March 5, 2026, Doherty said the outcome of the appeals could shape the party’s internal processes and influence the credibility of candidates presented to voters.
He noted that the electoral timetable released by INEC schedules the start of party primaries for April 23, 2026, and said a timely ruling would help guide the party, the electoral commission and other stakeholders.
