Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court on Monday in Abuja has barred the faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led by Kabiru Turaki from accessing the party’s national secretariat in the nation’s capital.
The ruling followed a suit filed by a group within the party aligned with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
Delivering judgment, the court also directed security agencies, including the Nigerian Police Force and the Department of State Services, to ensure protection for the leadership headed by Abdulrahman Mohammed while carrying out activities at the secretariat.
The court held that the national convention organised by the Turaki-led group on November 15 and 16, 2025, in Ibadan, Oyo State, was invalid.
It ruled that the gathering, along with the election of party officials conducted there, violated existing court orders and therefore had no legal standing.
Justice Abdulmalik stated that the convention contravened Section 287(3) of the Nigerian Constitution as well as the internal regulations of the PDP.
She further described the expulsion of Wike and his allies during the convention as a direct affront to the authority of the court.
“I considered the expulsion of the members of the plaintiffs as not only an affront to the subsisting judgment, but also a direct assault on a democratic and principled society,” the judge said, stressing that such actions have no place under the rule of law.
According to the judgment, all decisions taken at the disputed convention including suspensions and appointments are “unconstitutional, unlawful, null and void, and of no effect.”
The legal action was initiated by the faction loyal to Wike, led by acting National Chairman Abdulrahman Mohammed, alongside National Secretary Samuel Anyanwu.
The plaintiffs sought to prevent the Turaki-led leadership from gaining access to the PDP secretariat at Wadata Plaza in Abuja.
They also asked the court to restrain the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising any alternative office address submitted by the Turaki faction, insisting that only the address already on record should be valid.
In addition, the plaintiffs requested an order stopping the Turaki group from presenting themselves as legitimate representatives of the PDP in any capacity.
Earlier in the proceedings, the court had granted an interim order directing all parties to maintain the status quo pending the determination of the case.
The Turaki faction subsequently challenged the ruling at the Court of Appeal and also sought a stay of proceedings.
The group further applied for Justice Abdulmalik to withdraw from the case, alleging possible bias in the handling of the matter.
In her judgment, Justice Abdulmalik dismissed the allegations of bias, stating that they were not supported by credible evidence. She noted that claims of judicial prejudice must go beyond suspicion and be backed by verifiable facts.
The judge declared that she found “no shred of evidence” to justify the request for her recusal, adding that dissatisfaction with court decisions should be addressed through the appellate process rather than attempts to disqualify a judge.
She also ruled that the court had jurisdiction to hear the case, rejecting arguments by the defendants that the matter was purely an internal party dispute.
According to her, the issues raised involved constitutional interpretation and enforcement of prior court judgments, bringing them squarely within the court’s authority.
“The defendants are bound to comply with and give full effect to the subsisting judgments of the Federal High Court,” she ruled, reiterating that the controversial convention and its outcomes remain invalid.
Justice Abdulmalik further affirmed that the plaintiffs are entitled to continue occupying the party offices and utilising its facilities.
The ruling comes amid a prolonged leadership crisis within the PDP, with rival factions laying claim to control of the party’s structures.
Despite earlier court rulings in 2025 by other Federal High Court judges restraining the Turaki-led group from holding a convention, the faction proceeded with its Ibadan gathering, deepening internal divisions.
Meanwhile, the Wike-aligned faction recently held its own convention in Abuja, where Abdulrahman Mohammed emerged as substantive national chairman.
With conflicting claims and court interventions, the PDP’s internal struggle continues to unfold, raising questions about unity within Nigeria’s main opposition party ahead of future elections
