Court Bars Turaki PDP Faction from Secretariat, Orders Security to Protect Wike Camp

The crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) deepened on Tuesday after a Federal High Court in Abuja stopped the Kabiru Turaki-led faction from gaining access to the party’s national secretariat.

The ruling has further widened the divide between rival camps battling for control of the opposition party.

Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, who delivered the judgment, also voided the convention held in Ibadan, Oyo State, in November 2025.

The court ruled that the gathering, which produced the Turaki-led national executives, was conducted in clear violation of an existing court order.

The judge directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not to recognise any outcome from that convention. According to the court, all decisions taken at the meeting lack legal backing and cannot stand.

In a related order, security agencies were instructed to ensure that the faction aligned with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has unhindered access to the party’s national headquarters.

The court specifically mentioned the Nigerian Police Force and the Department of State Services, asking them to maintain order and enforce compliance with the ruling.

The judgment followed a suit filed on November 21, 2025, by Mohammed Abdulrahman and Samuel Anyanwu, who identified themselves as interim national chairman and secretary of the party.

The duo, said to be backed by Wike, challenged the legitimacy of the Ibadan convention and sought to stop the Turaki group from acting on behalf of the PDP.

In her ruling, Justice Abdulmalik held that the convention held between November 15 and 16, 2025, breached section 287(3) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended. She noted that the event disregarded subsisting court orders and the provisions of the PDP constitution.

She further ruled that actions taken during the convention, including the election of party officials and the expulsion of some members, were unlawful.

The court described the move as a direct violation of the rule of law and an attempt to undermine internal party democracy.

“All proceedings, resolutions and decisions reached at the said convention are hereby declared null and void,” the judge ruled, adding that they have no legal effect.

The court also faulted the suspension and expulsion of members aligned with the plaintiffs, stating that such actions were carried out in defiance of valid court pronouncements.

Justice Abdulmalik emphasised that political parties must operate within the framework of their constitutions and respect judicial decisions. She stressed that section 287(3) empowers courts to enforce compliance with their orders, warning that no group is above the law.

The latest ruling is expected to reshape the leadership struggle within the PDP, as both factions continue to lay claim to the party’s structure ahead of future political activities.