Court fixes July 7 to hear PDP suit seeking INEC recognition of Turaki-led leadership

A Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed July 7, 2026, to hear all pending applications and the substantive suit seeking to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise the Kabiru Tanimu Turaki-led interim National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Justice Salim Ibrahim adjourned the matter after counsel representing the various factions agreed to exchange all outstanding court processes. The judge directed all parties to file and regularise their documents before the next hearing, warning that no further delays would be entertained.

The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1159/2026, was instituted by the PDP Board of Trustees (BoT), led by former Senate President Adolphus Wabara. Other plaintiffs include former Niger State Governor Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, Professor Jerry Gana and Chief Olabode George.

The plaintiffs are asking the court to order INEC to recognise the 13-member interim National Working Committee headed by Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, which was constituted by the Board of Trustees on May 4, 2026, following the party’s leadership crisis.

At the hearing, lead counsel to the plaintiffs, Chief Gordy Uche (SAN), urged the court to consolidate all pending joinder applications with the substantive suit, arguing that the matter was time-sensitive because of INEC’s electoral timetable.

Uche told the court that political parties had already begun submitting the names of their candidates for the 2027 general elections through the electoral commission’s online portal, with the submission deadline fixed for July 11, 2026.

He argued that the Turaki-led faction also required access to the INEC portal to ensure its candidates were not excluded from the electoral process.

“The commission has reiterated that its July 11 deadline for the submission of names of candidates is sacrosanct. Submission has already commenced, and rival factions have been given access to the portal. We also need that access to prevent our candidates from being shut out,” Uche submitted.

The proceedings also highlighted the deepening divisions within the PDP, as disagreements emerged over who has the authority to represent the party in court.

While Uche announced his appearance for the plaintiffs, including the PDP, opposing legal teams challenged his authority, arguing that the party’s recognised leadership did not authorise the filing of the suit. They urged the court to strike out the PDP’s name as a plaintiff in the case.

The Turaki-led committee has faced a series of legal and administrative challenges in recent months, including disputes over the party’s leadership structure and access to its national secretariat.

Justice Ibrahim directed all parties to complete the filing of their processes by July 6, stating that the court would proceed with hearing both the pending applications and the substantive suit on July 7 to ensure the matter is determined before INEC’s candidate submission deadline.