PDP: Oyo Court upholds Turaki-Led convention, Wike faction kicks

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) crisis deepened on Friday as an Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan upheld the party’s November 15 and 16, 2025 convention, where a National Working Committee led by Tanimu Turaki was elected.

Justice Ladiran Akintola of Court 5 delivered the ruling after first determining an application seeking joinder in the matter before the court.

In his judgment, the court granted all 13 reliefs sought by the claimant, Folahan Malomo Adelabi, through his counsel, Musbau Adetunmbi, thereby affirming the validity of the convention held in Ibadan.

However, a rival PDP faction backed by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, rejected the ruling, describing it as inconsequential and lacking binding effect.

The party’s caretaker committee led by Mohammed Abdulrahman and Senator Samuel Anyanwu, in a statement signed by National Publicity Secretary Jungudo Mohammed, maintained that the November 2025 convention remains invalid.

The faction argued that earlier judgments of the Federal High Court had restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from attending or monitoring the convention, rendering the Oyo court’s decision ineffectual.

According to the group, INEC was neither joined nor represented in the suit and had successfully challenged the court’s jurisdiction, leading to its name being struck out of the case.

The Wike-backed faction further insisted that since INEC had already complied with subsisting Federal High Court judgments nullifying the convention and restraining Turaki and his associates, preparations for fresh congresses and a new national convention were already at an advanced stage.