- A court ordered accelerated hearing of the PDP leadership suit against INEC
- The plaintiffs want INEC to recognise the Kabir Turaki-led interim NWC
- The case was adjourned until June 30 for further hearing
The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered an accelerated hearing in a suit filed by the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), led by former Senate President Adolphus Wabara, against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the party’s lingering leadership dispute.
Eko Hot Blog gathered that Justice Salim Ibrahim gave the directive on Friday after counsel to the plaintiffs, Chief Gordy Uche (SAN), argued that the case required urgent attention because of INEC’s timetable for the 2027 general elections, which includes key deadlines in July.
The plaintiffs are asking the court to compel INEC to recognise the Kabir Turaki-led interim National Working Committee (NWC) and update the commission’s official records to reflect the leadership structure approved by the PDP’s National Executive Committee (NEC).
They also want INEC to publish the names of the interim NWC members, which they said were formally submitted to the commission through letters dated May 4.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1159/2026, was filed on June 4 by a legal team led by Chief Chris Uche (SAN).
Among the plaintiffs are Wabara, former Niger State Governor Muazu Babangida Aliyu, former Information Minister Jerry Gana, PDP chieftain Bode George, former ministers Maryam Ciroma and Zainab Maina, Dame Esther Uduehi and the PDP itself.
At Friday’s proceedings, confusion arose after another senior lawyer, Sunday Ameh (SAN), announced his appearance for the PDP and disclosed that he had filed a notice seeking to replace the party’s legal representation.
Ameh also urged the court to remove the PDP as a plaintiff, arguing that the party did not authorise the lawsuit.
The application was opposed by Chief Uche, who maintained that he had already announced his appearance on behalf of the party and questioned the legitimacy of the fresh representation.
The case took another turn as separate applications were filed by individuals aligned with a rival PDP faction seeking to be joined as defendants.
Lawyers representing the applicants argued that their requests for joinder should be heard before the substantive case proceeds.
INEC, represented by its counsel, confirmed receiving all court processes and informed the court that it would not oppose the joinder applications, leaving the issue of who represents the PDP for the court to determine.
Justice Ibrahim adjourned the matter until June 30 to hear the applications for joinder, the notice of change of counsel and the request to remove the PDP from the suit.
The judge directed all parties to file their responses before the next hearing and warned that the court would not tolerate unnecessary delays because of the urgency of the matter.
The legal battle follows recent appellate court decisions that nullified aspects of the PDP’s 2025 national convention and deepened the party’s leadership crisis.
The Wabara-led BoT maintains that the judgments created a leadership vacuum, prompting the appointment of the Kabir Turaki-led interim NWC pending the conduct of a fresh national convention.
The plaintiffs further accused INEC of refusing to update its records despite being notified of the interim leadership and urged the court to compel the commission to comply with previous court judgments recognising the changes.
