The Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed a suit seeking to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise the Kabiru Turaki-led interim National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), dealing a fresh setback to former President Goodluck Jonathan’s reported 2027 presidential ambition.
The ruling, delivered by Justice Salim Ibrahim, also casts doubt on the validity of decisions taken by the Turaki-led faction, including Jonathan’s nomination as the PDP’s presidential candidate for the 2027 general election.
The faction had announced Jonathan as its presidential candidate in May after a special national convention held at the party’s office in Area 10, Garki, Abuja.
The suit was filed by the Adolphus Wabara-led Board of Trustees (BoT) faction of the PDP. Among the plaintiffs were former Senate President Adolphus Wabara, former Niger State Governor Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, former Information Minister Jerry Gana, former PDP Deputy National Chairman Bode George, former ministers Maryam Ciroma and Zainab Maina, Dame Esther Uduehi, and the PDP.
The plaintiffs asked the court to order INEC to publish the composition of the Turaki-led interim NWC on its official website, arguing that the electoral commission was constitutionally obliged to recognise the leadership approved by the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC).
They also urged the court to compel INEC to comply with previous court judgments relating to the PDP’s leadership dispute.
However, the PDP faction loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, successfully applied to join the suit, arguing that it is the authentic leadership elected during the party’s March 2026 national convention. The faction further challenged the court’s jurisdiction and the plaintiffs’ legal standing.
Justice Ibrahim ruled that the Wike-backed faction had a legitimate interest in the matter and allowed its joinder.
The court held that the plaintiffs were attempting to reopen issues that had already been settled by previous court decisions and lacked the authority to institute the action on behalf of the PDP.
Justice Ibrahim further noted that the case had become academic because INEC had already monitored the convention that produced the Abdulrahman Mohammed-led executives, whose names are currently listed on the commission’s official website.
The court consequently struck out the PDP as the eighth plaintiff, upheld the preliminary objections filed by INEC and the Wike-backed faction, and dismissed the suit for lack of jurisdiction.
Relying on Section 83(6)(b) of the Electoral Act 2026, the court awarded N70 million in costs against the plaintiffs in favour of the first to seventh defendants. It also ordered the plaintiffs’ counsel to personally pay N10 million.
