The Chairman of the embattled faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Tanimu Turaki (SAN), has furiously rejected Friday’s judgment of the Federal High Court sitting in Ibadan, describing it as perverse, politically motivated and a dangerous assault on internal party democracy.
In a strongly worded statement, Turaki said the ruling nullifying the party’s National Convention of Nov. 15 and Nov. 16, 2025, was a clear travesty of justice that failed to reflect the facts, evidence and binding legal authorities presented before the court.
He accused the court of overreaching its jurisdiction, insisting that the conduct of the convention fell squarely within the internal affairs of the party and was carried out in substantial compliance with the PDP Constitution and the Electoral Act.
“This judgment represents a disturbing departure from settled judicial principles. It amounts to judicial endorsement of impunity and rewards those who chose chaos, disobedience and manipulation over lawful party processes,” Turaki declared.
The senior advocate further alleged that the opposing faction deliberately engaged in forum shopping, misleading the court and weaponising the judiciary to seize control of the party through the back door after failing to gain legitimacy from PDP stakeholders.
Turaki maintained that his leadership enjoys overwhelming support across the states and warned that the judgment, if allowed to stand, would set a dangerous precedent capable of destabilising political parties nationwide.
“We will not surrender the PDP to impostors masquerading under court orders obtained through deception. Our legal team has been instructed to immediately challenge this judgment at the appellate court,” he said.
He urged PDP members loyal to his leadership to remain resolute, describing the ruling as a temporary setback that would be overturned, while cautioning against any attempt by the opposing faction to forcefully take over party structures.
Reacting with equal force, the PDP National Caretaker Working Committee dismissed Turaki’s claims as baseless, reckless and contemptuous of the judiciary, insisting that the judgment had exposed what it described as the illegality underpinning the Turaki-led faction.
In a statement issued in Abuja, Jungude Mohammed, National Publicity Secretary of the Caretaker Committee, said the ruling of the Federal High Court was a crushing blow to “years of impersonation, lawlessness and constitutional violations.”
Mohammed said the court’s decision conclusively proved that the Ibadan convention was convened in blatant defiance of subsisting court orders and in total disregard of the PDP Constitution.
“The era of self-help and illegal occupation of party offices is over. No amount of propaganda or legal gymnastics can overturn the truth established by the court,” Mohammed said.
He accused the Turaki faction of deliberately undermining party unity while falsely presenting themselves as reformers.
“Those who desecrated the PDP Constitution cannot now pretend to be victims. The judgment has stripped them bare and returned the party to the path of legality,” he added.
Mohammed warned that any attempt by the Turaki-led group to continue parading as party leaders would amount to contempt of court, stressing that the PDP National Caretaker Committee, under Abdulrahman Mohammed, would not hesitate to enforce the ruling through lawful means.
While reiterating the committee’s openness to reconciliation, Mohammed insisted that it must be based on submission to the rule of law, not intimidation or blackmail.
“This judgment is final as far as legality is concerned. Anyone genuinely interested in the future of the PDP must first respect the law and the party constitution,” he said.
