On Friday at 4 p.m., the Federal High Court in Abuja will issue a judgment regarding a lawsuit brought by the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The BoT, under the leadership of Senator Adolphus Wabara, is aligned with the faction headed by Kabir Turaki, SAN. Justice Salim Ibrahim presided over the case and reserved his decision on July 7 following final arguments from all legal teams.
The plaintiffs, a group including Senator Wabara, Muazu Babangida Aliyu, and Professor Jerry Gana, are requesting that the court compel the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to formally recognize the Turaki-led interim National Working Committee. They allege that the party submitted the necessary documentation for this update on May 4.
This legal challenge, designated as FHC/ABJ/CS/1159/2026, faces significant internal opposition. A faction of the PDP loyal to Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, has challenged the court’s authority to hear the case. Representatives for this faction, as well as INEC, have filed motions requesting the dismissal of the suit. Furthermore, a dispute over legal representation has emerged, with competing lawyers claiming to act on behalf of the PDP, leading to conflicting motions regarding the party’s status as a plaintiff.
Counsel for the initial plaintiffs, Chief Chris Uche, SAN, previously emphasized the urgency of the matter due to approaching deadlines for the 2027 general elections. Justice Ibrahim is expected to address both the procedural motions and the substantive issues of the case in his upcoming ruling.
