The Supreme Court of Nigeria has nullified the national convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) held in Ibadan on November 15 and 16, 2025, bringing a definitive end to a prolonged legal dispute over the party’s leadership.
The convention had produced a factional executive led by Tanimu Turaki, SAN, but its legitimacy was immediately challenged in court.
Prior to the gathering, a Federal High Court of Nigeria had issued an order restraining the party from proceeding, citing breaches of the party’s constitution and unresolved issues arising from state congresses.
The court also raised concerns over the exclusion of certain aspirants, questioning the fairness of the process.
Despite the subsisting court order, the PDP went ahead with the convention, prompting further legal action.
The Court of Appeal Nigeria subsequently upheld the lower court’s ruling, declaring that the exercise was conducted in defiance of valid judicial directives and could not stand.
Dissatisfied, the Turaki-led faction approached the apex court, seeking validation of both the convention and the leadership it produced.
However, in its final judgment, the Supreme Court upheld the decisions of the lower courts, effectively voiding the Ibadan convention and extinguishing claims to legitimacy by the factional leadership that emerged from it.
