The Federal High Court, FHC, in Abuja, on Monday, restrained the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, led by Kabiru Turaki from gaining access into the national secretariat of the party In Abuja.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik made the order while delivering judgment in a suit instituted by a faction of the party loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike.
Justice Abdulmalik also ordered the security agencies, including the Nigerian Police Force, NPF, State Security Service, SSS, among others, to give adequate protection to Wike-led faction of the PDP while accessing the secretariat.
The judge held that the purported national convention held by the Turaki-led faction on Nov. 15 and Nov. 16, 2025 in Ibadan and the election of party’s officials, against the valid court orders, was a nullity.
She said the convention violated Section 287(3) of the Nigerian Constitution (as amended), as well as the PDP’s constitution.
She described the expulsion of Wike and his allies from the party during the 2025 convention as an affront to the order of court.
“I considered the expulsion of the members of the plaintiffs as not only an affront to the subsisting judgement, but also a direct assault to a democratic and principled society,” the judge said.
She said such action had no place where the rule of law is in practice.
According to the judge, all proceedings, resolutions and decisions taken at the said convention, including the suspension of members of the 1st plaintiff, were unconstitutional, unlawful, null and void, and of no effect.
A faction of the party in the camp of the FCT minister, led by its acting National Chairman, Alhaji Mohammed Abdulrahman, had filed the suit.
In the suit, the PDP, Abdulrahman and Sen. Sameul Anyanwu, the factional National Secretary, had prayed the court to stop the police and DSS from allowing Turaki-led leadership (5th to 25th defendants) access to the party’s national secretariat at Wadara Plaza in Abuja.
They also sought an order of injunction, restraining INEC from accepting any other office address or any other address from the Turaki-led leadership as the PDP’s office address other than as already contained in the commission’s records.
They sought an order of injunction, restraining the Turaki leadership (5th to 25 defendants) from parading themselves as representatives of the PDP in any capacity whatsoever, among other reliefs.
Justice Abdulmalik had earlier granted an ex-parte motion brought by the plaintiffs directing parties not to take any action pending the hearing and determination of the suit.
Following the order, the Turaki-led chairman of the PDP challenged the decision at the Court of Appeal.
They also filed an application for the court to stay proceedings in the suit pending the decision of the Appeal Court.
The Turaki faction, through their lawyer, equally filed a motion on notice asking Justice Abdulmalik to recuse (withdraw) herself from the case.
They argued that there existed a reasonable and well-founded apprehension of likelihood of bias against them in the manner the suit had been handled by the judge.
Delivering the judgment, Justice Abduly held that, in line with the Constitution and other enabling statutes, including earlier judgments, it would not shy away from its duty to do what is just in the circumstances.
The judge said that the the main determinant of the case is Section 287(3) of the Constitution, which provides that the decisions of the Federal High Court and other courts established by the constitution shall be enforced by all authorities and persons across the federation.
She observed that “in spite of the judgments which have not been set aside, the 5th to 25th defendants went ahead and organised the convention.”
