- Safiu Kehinde
The Supreme Court has fixed date for the hearing of two separate appeals filed by the Kabiru Turaki-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), seeking the overturn the Court of Appeal’s decision invalidating the Ibadan National Convention held on November 15-16, 2025.
Turaki, whose leadership was challenged by the faction backed by the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, had sought accelerated hearing of the appeal.
The faction PDP leader had in the first appeal, ordered that notices be served on Mohammed Abdulrahman, the leader of the Wike-backed faction and the seventh respondent, who was not represented at the proceeding on Tuesday.
Speaking at the proceedings, counsel to the Turaki group, Chris Uche, informed the court of the pending applications.
Uche harped on the need for urgency to align with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) timetable ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In its verdict, the Supreme Court directed all nine respondents to file their replies within five days each and fixed April 22, 2026, for the hearing of the appeal.
In the second appeal, involving the Turaki-led group against former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido and others, the apex court also granted accelerated hearing and abridgement of time and fixed April 22 for the hearing.
According to reports, Lamido had sued the group over his exclusion from the national chairmanship contest, which led to Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court issuing orders halting the convention.
The lower courts have largely ruled against the Turaki-led executives, nullifying the Ibadan Convention, barring INEC from recognising its outcomes, and restricting access to the national secretariat in some rulings.
The Turaki group has appealed to the Supreme Court, arguing that the matter borders on internal party affairs, which are not justiciable, and that due procedures were followed.
Meanwhile, both the Turaki-led and Wike-backed factions had in the past weeks hinted possible reconciliation and resolution of their crisis.
This however did not stop the Wike-backed faction from holding its planned convention held in Abuja on the 29th of March, 2026.
The convention appeared to have stalled the reconciliation talks as the Turaki-led faction faulted the development.