RismadarVoice Reporters
January 30, 2026
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has rejected the judgment of the Federal High Court, Ibadan, which declined to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognize the party’s Ibadan Convention, describing the ruling as conflicting with existing court decisions.
Addressing a press conference on Friday, the National Chairman of the party, Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, SAN, said the PDP had already filed a Notice of Appeal and a Motion for Stay of Execution, insisting that the judgment would not affect the legality of the party’s current National Working Committee (NWC).
Turaki explained that the party had approached the court seeking an order of mandamus to compel INEC to recognize the outcome of the Ibadan Convention and facilitate official communication between the party and the electoral body. However, the court declined the request, holding that granting it would amount to sitting on appeal over judgments of courts of coordinate jurisdiction.
He noted that during the proceedings, some former members of the party who had earlier been expelled were joined in the suit, opposed the PDP’s prayers.
According to the PDP chairman, the court went beyond the reliefs sought by the parties by granting orders that were neither prayed for nor argued before it, adding that the judgment was in material conflict with subsisting court orders and earlier judgments on the same subject.
“Consequently, we have filed a Notice of Appeal as well as a Motion for Stay of Execution of the judgment, and we are determined to pursue this matter diligently and to its logical conclusion in accordance with the law,” Turaki said.
He stressed that the judgment was only one of several decisions of the Federal High Court on the issue, noting that the substantive matters are already before the Court of Appeal for final determination.
Turaki maintained that, pending the outcome of the appellate process, the National Working Committee produced by the Ibadan Convention remains legally valid and fully in charge of the party’s affairs.
“For the avoidance of doubt, this judgment is, technically speaking, academic, pending the authoritative pronouncement of the appellate courts,” he stated.
The PDP chairman urged party members and supporters nationwide to remain calm, assuring them that there was no cause for alarm.
“The rebirth movement of the PDP is steadily on course. This judgment represents nothing more than one of the judicial bends along our journey. The destination remains clear,” he added.
