By Bose
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The Supreme Court on Thursday upheld the nullification of the controversial Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) convention held in Ibadan, Oyo State, in November 2025, effectively affirming the legitimacy of the AbdulRahman–Anyanwu leadership bloc within the party.
In a unanimous judgment, the apex court endorsed the earlier decision of the Court of Appeal, which had voided the Ibadan gathering on the grounds that it violated an existing order of the Federal High Court. The Supreme Court ruled that proceeding with the convention in defiance of a subsisting court injunction amounted to a breach of due process and undermined the rule of law.
The court also dismissed the appeal filed by Tanimu Turaki, describing it as lacking merit and failing to dislodge the legal foundation upon which the lower courts based their decisions.
The judgment is the latest chapter in the prolonged internal crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party, Nigeria’s main opposition party. The Ibadan convention, convened by a faction of the party in late 2025, was widely disputed and deepened divisions among party stakeholders ahead of the 2027 general elections.
At the heart of the dispute was the struggle for control of the party’s national structure, with rival factions organizing parallel leadership arrangements and seeking judicial validation. The Federal High Court had earlier restrained the holding of the Ibadan convention, a directive that was ignored by its promoters—setting the stage for a series of legal battles.
The Court of Appeal subsequently nullified the outcomes of that convention, ruling that any decisions taken at a gathering held in defiance of a valid court order were legally untenable. Thursday’s Supreme Court verdict now cements that position as final.
By affirming the invalidity of the Ibadan convention, the Supreme Court has effectively strengthened the standing of the AbdulRahman–Anyanwu leadership and dealt a significant blow to opposing factions within the PDP.
Political analysts say the ruling could either restore a measure of order within the party or deepen existing fractures, depending on how aggrieved stakeholders respond. With the 2027 elections on the horizon, the decision places renewed pressure on the PDP to resolve its internal disputes and present a united front against the ruling party.
More details are expected as party leaders react to the judgment and outline their next steps.
