PDP Leadership Crisis: Court Adjourns Wike-Aligned Suit, Dismisses Turaki Faction’s Case

(C) Google.
By Correspondent in Abuja.
The Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday adjourned a suit filed by a faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) aligned with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, to February 20, pending the outcome of an appeal at the Court of Appeal.

Justice Joyce Abdulmalik adjourned the matter following an appeal filed by the Kabiru Turaki-led PDP leadership, challenging the court’s interim order directing all parties to maintain the status quo pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.

Our correspondent recalls that the suit was instituted by the Wike-aligned faction of the PDP, led by its Acting National Chairman, Alhaji Mohammed Abdulrahman.
In the suit, the PDP, Abdulrahman and the factional National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, urged the court to restrain the Nigeria Police Force and the Department of State Services (DSS) from granting the Turaki-led leadership—listed as the 5th to 25th defendants—access to the party’s national secretariat at Wadata Plaza, Abuja.
They also sought an order restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising or accepting any office address submitted by the Turaki-led leadership as the PDP’s official address, other than the one already contained in INEC’s records.

Additionally, the plaintiffs asked the court to restrain the Turaki-led group from parading themselves as representatives or leaders of the PDP in any capacity whatsoever, among other reliefs.

Justice Abdulmalik had earlier granted an ex parte application filed by the plaintiffs, directing all parties to refrain from taking any action pending the hearing and determination of the suit.

Dissatisfied with the ruling, the Turaki-led faction appealed to the Court of Appeal and also filed an application seeking a stay of proceedings at the Federal High Court pending the appellate court’s decision.

The faction, through its counsel, further filed a motion on notice requesting Justice Abdulmalik to recuse herself from the case, alleging a reasonable apprehension of bias in the handling of the matter.

At the resumed hearing, Justice Abdulmalik held that proceeding with the case while an appeal had already been entered would amount to an exercise in futility. She accordingly adjourned the matter to February 20 for a report on the outcome of the appeal.
Meanwhile, in a related development, the court on Friday dismissed another suit filed by the PDP leadership led by Kabiru Turaki.

Justice Abdulmalik dismissed the suit after counsel to the plaintiffs, Chief Chris Uche, SAN, moved an application for its discontinuance and urged the court to strike it out. However, the judge held that since issues had already been joined in the matter, the appropriate order was dismissal rather than a mere striking out.
In the suit marked

FHC/ABJ/CS/2520/2025, the plaintiffs—PDP, its National Chairman, Kabiru Turaki, and the National Secretary, Taofeek Arapaja—had sued the Inspector-General of Police and the Nigeria Police Force as first and second defendants.

They sought, among other reliefs, an order directing police officers to vacate the party’s national headquarters at Wadata Plaza, Wuse, Abuja.

However, the court had earlier, on January 16, ordered the joinder of parties seeking to be joined in the suit. The joined parties include the PDP’s Acting National Chairman of the Wike faction, Alhaji Mohammed Abdulrahman; the factional National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu; and the Chairman of the party’s Board of Trustees, Senator Mao Ohuabunwa.
Edited by Dada Ahmed.