By The9jaTREND
The Certified True Copy (CTC) of the Supreme Court judgement on the lingering leadership crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has revealed fresh complications for the faction aligned with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.
However, the Abdulrahman Mohammed-led leadership of the party has dismissed claims surrounding the circulated CTC, insisting the document has not been officially released by the Supreme Court.
The faction further maintained that the apex court recognised Abdulrahman Mohammed as PDP National Chairman and Senator Samuel Anyanwu as National Secretary.
According to the CTC, the Supreme Court unanimously dismissed both the cross-appeal filed by Wike’s faction and the main appeal lodged by the Kabiru Tanimu Turaki-led group believed to enjoy the backing of Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde.
“The Cross-Appeal is in the circumstance of the Main Appeal, dismissed.
“Cross-Appeal Dismissed,” Justice Stephen Adah stated in the judgement released about a week after the ruling.
The PDP crisis stems from parallel conventions conducted by rival blocs within the party. The Makinde-backed faction emerged from the November convention in Ibadan with Turaki as National Chairman, while the Wike camp produced Abdulrahman Mohammed at its March convention in Abuja.
After the Court of Appeal nullified the Ibadan convention on 9th of March for allegedly violating orders of the Federal High Court in Abuja, the Turaki faction approached the Supreme Court seeking to overturn the appellate court ruling. The appellants argued, among other things, that the lower court wrongly assumed jurisdiction over what they described as an internal party matter.
The Wike faction also challenged aspects of the appellate court judgement, particularly the ruling affirming the suspension of PDP Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade, SAN.
The appellate court had ruled that Ajibade lacked authority to file processes on behalf of the party after his suspension.
“By leave of this Court, the appellant placed before the Court as fresh evidence the Notice evidencing the suspension of A.K. Ajibade, SAN as National Legal Adviser of the appellant on November 1, 2025. That evidence was duly admitted pursuant to the principles governing reception of fresh evidence on appeal as restated by the Supreme Court.
“The legal effect of that fresh evidence is that, as at December 10, 2025 when Appeal No. CA/ABJ/1728/2025 was purportedly filed by A.K. Ajibade, SAN, he had ceased to hold the office of National Legal Adviser of the appellant. An agent whose authority has been lawfully terminated cannot bind the principal.
“Accordingly, any process filed in the name of the appellant by a person who had ceased to possess the authority to act on its behalf is incompetent,” the appellate court held.
The judgement has also raised legal questions over actions taken by Senator Samuel Anyanwu while under suspension, including his role in appointing Abdulrahman Mohammed as acting National Chairman and his participation in organising the March convention that produced the current leadership loyal to Wike.
Observers argue that since the Supreme Court dismissed the Wike faction’s appeal, the appellate court judgement affirming the suspensions of Ajibade, Anyanwu, National Organising Secretary Bature Umar and National Auditor Okechukwu Osuoha remains valid.
Meanwhile, Anyanwu’s separate legal challenge against his suspension and expulsion i s still pending before the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal.
In his appeal filed on April 10, 2026 through his counsel, K.C.O. Njemanze, SAN, Anyanwu asked the appellate court to overturn the lower court decision which dismissed his suit challenging the disciplinary actions against him.
He argued that the trial court wrongly held that he failed to exhaust the PDP’s internal dispute resolution mechanisms and erred in declining jurisdiction over the matter.
The disciplinary crisis originated from recommendations made by the Chief Ikimi-led seven-member committee, which advised Anyanwu’s expulsion over alleged anti-party activities after he reportedly failed to appear before the panel.
In dismissing Anyanwu’s suit, the Federal Capital Territory High Court held that the dispute was an internal party affair outside judicial intervention.
“The evidence before the court discloses that the plaintiff was duly invited to appear before the National Disciplinary Committee of the 2nd defendant but failed to take advantage of the opportunities afforded him. It is settled in law that a party who deliberately refuses or neglects to utilise an opportunity to be heard cannot subsequently complain of denial of fair hearing.
“Furthermore, the plaintiff did not demonstrate that the National Disciplinary Committee acted outside the powers conferred on it by the Constitution of the 2nd defendant nor did he show that the procedures adopted were fundamentally defective or in breach of natural justice,” the court ruled.
The Supreme Court, in a split three-to-two decision, eventually nullified the convention that produced the Turaki-led leadership, citing disobedience to a subsisting court order.
Justice Adah faulted the appellants for proceeding with the November 2025 convention despite an existing Federal High Court order restraining the exercise.
“Accordingly, any litigant who engages in abuse of court process does so at his peril. The court must, in clear and unmistakable terms, condemn such conduct and take decisive steps to preserve the integrity of the judicial system.
“Abuse of court process is not a mere irregularity; it is a fundamental defect that robs the proceedings of legitimacy and renders them liable to summary termination.
“The appellant abused the process of the court to conduct the party Convention.
“The Party Convention of the appellant conducted on November 15 and 26, 2025, in defiance of the subsisting order of the Federal High Court in its judgement delivered on November 14, 2025, in Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/2299/20285, is null, void and of no effect and consequence.
“It is accordingly nullified.”
Reacting to the controversy, PDP National Publicity Secretary, Haruna Mohammed Jungudo, insisted that the CTC circulating in the public domain lacked proper certification.
“The pages were neither duly certified, stamped, nor signed by any authorised court officer in accordance with legally recognised procedures,” Jungudo said.
He maintained that even if the document were authentic, it still confirmed the defeat of the Turaki faction from the Federal High Court up to the Supreme Court.
”Contrary to the misleading narratives being promoted in some sections of the media and political space, the Supreme Court did not suspend Senator Samuel Anyanwu or any member of the party leadership. The apex court also did not direct the PDP Board of Trustees (BoT) to assume control of the party, neither did it declare any vacuum within the party structure,” he stated.
Jungudo further argued that the cross-appeal only challenged the authority of Chief Chris Uche, SAN, to represent the PDP and had nothing to do with the suspension or expulsion of party officials.
He urged party members to remain calm, adding that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) still recognises Abdulrahman Mohammed and Senator Samuel Anyanwu as PDP leaders.
The party also assured members and aspirants that it would participate fully in the 2027 general elections without legal hindrance.
.. Source: ThisDay