The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has called on the Court of Appeal to deliver what it described as a fair, transparent and lawful judgment in the ongoing leadership crisis rocking the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
In a strongly worded statement, the pro-democracy and civil rights advocacy group said the appellate court’s verdict would have far-reaching implications for opposition politics in Nigeria, warning that the outcome could either help rebuild the PDP or hasten its decline.
HURIWA said the Court of Appeal had “the opportunity of a lifetime” to demonstrate judicial independence and strengthen democratic institutions by ensuring that due process is strictly followed in resolving the internal disputes within the party.
“The members of the civil society community in Nigeria are watching to see what kind of judgment would be read out whenever the panelists invite the contending politicians back to the court for the judgment,” the group stated.
According to HURIWA, the ruling—along with any subsequent decision by the Supreme Court of Nigeria if further appeals are filed—could take one of two directions.
The group said the appellate court could either issue a “well-intentioned, well-considered, just, fair and transparent judgment” capable of stabilising and rebuilding the PDP, or it could, in its words, “donate the PDP” to loyalists of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
HURIWA alleged that Wike had publicly indicated a preference for weakening opposition politics ahead of the 2027 general elections, though the minister has not formally responded to those specific claims in this context.
The group further expressed concern over what it described as a growing public perception that the judiciary is under pressure from the executive arm of government. It referenced recent controversies surrounding housing allocations to judicial officers in the Federal Capital Territory, warning that the Appeal Court must act in a manner that reinforces confidence in judicial independence.
“The ball is in the court of the Appellate Court,” HURIWA stated, adding that millions of Nigerians who value multiparty democracy expect justice to be both done and seen to be done.
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The Court of Appeal in Abuja recently reserved judgment in nine appeals filed by rival factions within the PDP, challenging various rulings of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
A three-member panel of the appellate court announced that judgment had been reserved after counsel to the parties adopted their briefs and presented final arguments. The court said a date for delivery of judgment would be communicated to the parties.
The appeals stem from decisions delivered by Justices James Omotosho, Joyce Abdulmalik and Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court, Abuja Division.
Justices Omotosho and Lifu had restrained the PDP from proceeding with its planned national convention in Ibadan, Oyo State, scheduled for November 15 and 16. The rulings held that the party failed to comply with certain legal requirements governing the conduct of its convention.
Justice Omotosho’s decision followed a suit filed by three party members—Hon. Austin Nwachukwu (Imo PDP Chairman), Hon. Amah Abraham Nnanna (Abia PDP Chairman) and Turnah Alabh George (PDP Secretary, South-South).
Justice Lifu’s judgment arose from a separate suit instituted by former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido, who alleged that he was unlawfully denied the opportunity to contest the party’s national chairmanship position at the convention.
During Thursday’s proceedings at the appellate court, counsel to the appellants, including senior advocate Chris Uche (SAN), urged the panel to allow the appeals and set aside the lower court judgments.
In response, lawyers representing the respondents, including Joseph Daudu (SAN), prayed the court to dismiss the appeals and affirm the decisions of the Federal High Court.
In its reaction, HURIWA stressed that the stakes extend beyond the internal affairs of a single political party. The group argued that the strength of opposition parties is essential to Nigeria’s democratic balance.
“We expect that justice should not only be done but must be seen to have been done,” HURIWA said in a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Nnadozie Onwubiko.
As the political and legal drama unfolds, observers say the appellate court’s eventual ruling will shape not only the future leadership structure of the PDP but also broader perceptions of judicial neutrality in Nigeria’s evolving democracy.