Category Nigeria News

The Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party has faulted the judgement of the Federal High Court in Ibadan that nullified the party’s national convention last November.

In a statement on Friday, the BoT Chairman and former Senate President, Adolphus Wabara, said the verdict has retained the PDP National Working Committee led by Tanimu Turaki.

“The BoT notes that the judgment is technically of no effect and at best, academic as the central and fundamental issues in the matter are already before the Court of Appeal,” the statement read.

Wabara said that the main opposition party would challenge the judgement before a Court of Appeal.

READ ALSO: Court Nullifies PDP’s Ibadan Convention, Sacks Turaki-Led NWC

He assured party supporters and loyalists that “the judgment of the Federal High Court, Ibadan in abeyance and retains the Kabiru Tanimu Turaki-led National Working Committee, which was duly elected at the Ibadan Convention, legally and firmly on the saddle.”

“It is, however, a matter of concern that the court, in declining the order of mandamus sought by our party on the ground that such would amount to sitting on appeal over the judgments of courts of coordinate jurisdiction, went beyond the boundaries to grant reliefs that were not prayed by any of the parties in the case.

“In any case, the BoT notes that our party has already filed an appeal and a Motion for Stay of Execution.”

See the full statement below:

Press Statement

Position of the Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on the Judgment of the Federal High Court, Holden in Ibadan, Oyo State.

The Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been made aware of the judgment of the Federal High Court, Ibadan, regarding the National Convention of our great Party held on November 15 and 16, 2025 in Ibadan, the Oyo State Capital.

The BoT notes that the judgment is technically of no effect and at best, academic as the central and fundamental issues in the matter are already before the Court of Appeal.

It is however a matter of concern that the court, in declining the order of mandamus sought by our party on the ground that such would amount to sitting on appeal over the judgments of courts of coordinate jurisdiction, went beyond the boundaries to grant reliefs that were not prayed by any of the parties in the case.

In any case, the BoT notes that our party has already filed an appeal and a Motion for Stay of Execution. This puts the judgment of the Federal High Court, Ibadan in abeyance and retains the Kabiru Tanimu Turaki-led National Working Committee which was duly elected at the Ibadan Convention legally and firmly on the saddle.

The BoT as the conscience and second highest Organ of the party assures all members of the PDP, our teeming supporters and indeed the general public that the Turaki-led NWC is securely in place and there is no cause for alarm.

The Board reaffirms its commitment and support for the Turaki-led NWC in its efforts to stabilize and strengthen the party on the path of victory ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Signed:

The Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, has threatened to force entry into the Yakubu Gowon Stadium, alleging that the Rivers State Government denied the Renewed Hope Ambassadors access to the venue for a rally. 

Wike, the immediate past governor of the coastal state, spoke on Friday during the inauguration of coordinators of the group across the 23 local government areas of Rivers State.

“We applied to the Rivers State Government for the Yakubu Gowon Stadium. They refused us. But let me say, next time we will do this, if you don’t approve it, we will break it by force,” Wike said at the Captain Elechi Amadi Polytechnic, Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

“So the coordinator of the state [Renewed Hope Ambassadors], write again to the state government. Choose a day, and we will inaugurate the ward level. I want to say to everybody to hear: enough is enough. We are all from Rivers State.

“Nobody can deny us the facilities of the state. If you don’t agree to give us, we will do the needful, and we take it by force. Heaven will never fall. Even when heaven falls, everywhere will be at peace.”

The ex-governor asked them to be bold despite the alleged intimidation by the Rivers State government.

“We must go and make sure this is inaugurated ward by ward, unit by unit, and we will take a date to make sure we inaugurate them. I have told the leadership of the party, the way they have done for local government, so we will do for the wards. We will provide vehicles for each of the wards.

“So nobody should be intimidated. We are here to support you. The members of various councils have agreed to make more commitments to make sure each ward gets a bus, to make sure the campaign for the ‘Renewed Hope Agenda’ is being realized,” the minister told a teeming crowd of supporters.

READ ALSO: Rivers State Issues Are Fubara’s Responsibility — Aide

Rivers Denies Allegation

But the Rivers State Government has denied the allegation, saying it was baseless.

The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Information and Communications, Honour Sirawoo, spoke to journalists on Friday evening after an inspection tour of the facility.

Sirawoo described the allegation as false and misleading, explaining that the Yakubu Gowon Stadium is undergoing reconstruction and thus unsafe for public use.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has played down concerns over the judgment of the Federal High Court (FHC), Ibadan, delivered on Friday, insisting that the ruling poses no threat to the party’s current leadership structure.

Justice Uche Agomhoh had, in a judgment delivered on Friday, nullified the PDP National Convention held on November 15, 2025, in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

The court barred the Tanimu Turaki–led National Working Committee (NWC) and other officials elected at the convention from parading themselves as “national officers” of the party.

The judge further ruled that the Caretaker Committee led by Abdulrahman Mohammed and Senator Samuel Anyanwu remains the “only recognised National Working Committee of the PDP” pending the conduct of a valid national convention.

However, in a statement issued shortly after the judgment, the party’s factional National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Ini Ememobong, said the court declined to grant the order of mandamus sought before it because doing so would amount to sitting on appeal over decisions of courts of coordinate jurisdiction.

The party disclosed that it has instructed its legal team to immediately file an appeal and pursue all available legal options to protect its position.

“We have accordingly briefed our lawyers to immediately file an appeal and to take all further legal steps necessary to advance our arguments and firmly protect our position on this matter,” the statement read.

Ememobong maintained that despite the judgment, the Kabiru Turaki–led leadership that emerged from the Ibadan convention remains valid and legally intact, pending a final determination by the appellate courts.

“Notwithstanding this judgment, the Kabiru Turaki–led Peoples Democratic Party, which emerged from the Ibadan convention, remains legally intact and unshaken, as we await the authoritative pronouncement of the appellate courts,” he said.

The party also called on its members nationwide to remain calm and committed, assuring them that there is no cause for concern.

Justice Uche Agomoh of the Federal High Court, Ibadan, Oyo State, has nullified the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) National Convention held in the city in November 2025. 

The Taminu Turaki group of the PDP had earlier filed suit number FHC/IB/CS/121/2025, seeking recognition of the convention held in Ibadan, Oyo State, on November 15, 2025, and validation of the National Working Committee (NWC) that emerged at the convention

But in a judgment on Friday, Justice Agomoh held that the convention was conducted in flagrant disobedience to two subsisting judgments of the same court, adding that returning to seek judicial approval for actions taken in defiance of court orders was an exercise in futility.

Consequently, all decisions taken at the convention were set aside by the court.

It barred Turaki (SAN) and others who emerged as NWC members from parading themselves as such.

According to Justice Agomoh, the caretaker committee, led by Abdulrahman Mohammed and Samuel Anyanwu, is the only recognised NWC of the PDP pending the conduct of a valid national convention.

The court described the suit as a brazen attempt by the applicant to legitimize its illegalities done in violation of subsisting court orders.

It said the application failed and was thereby dismissed.

“I hold that the caretaker committee is the only lawful governing body of PDP that INEC should recognize and relate with,” the judge said.

“This suit is a brazen attempt by the applicant to legitimize its illegalities done in violation of subsisting court orders. I cannot allow that or sit on appeal over those judgments.”

“The application fails and is dismissed,” the judge said.

On November 14, the Federal High Court in Abuja, presided over by Justice Peter Lifu, ordered the suspension of the PDP convention in a suit filed by former Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido.

Lamido had challenged the process, alleging that he was denied the opportunity to purchase a nomination form to contest for the party’s chairmanship, in violation of the PDP constitution and guidelines.

Before that, an Oyo High Court instructed the party to continue with plans about the convention.

While granting the order, Justice A. L. Akintola directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to attend, monitor, and observe the exercise pending the hearing and determination of the substantive motion on notice.

Boost for Democracy

Reacting to the judgment, counsel to the PDP Caretaker Committee, Ferdinand Orbih (SAN), described the ruling as a boost for Nigeria’s democracy.

According to him, the claimants had sought judicial endorsement of what he described as an illegal convention, but the court firmly rejected the move.

He said the judgment affirmed that the rule of law must prevail over political expediency, stressing that all actions and structures arising from the convention had been completely nullified.

Orbih added that the court’s decision underscored the inevitability of the caretaker committee taking charge of the party’s affairs until a valid convention is conducted in line with the law.

According to him, the ruling sends a strong message to political actors on the importance of obeying court judgments, warning that disregard for the rule of law could lead to chaos.

Turaki-Led Group To Challenge Verdict

Meanwhile, the Turaki-led group said it will immediately file an appeal and pursue all available legal options to protect its position.

“We have accordingly briefed our lawyers to immediately file an appeal and to take all further legal steps necessary to advance our arguments and firmly protect our position on this matter,” its spokesman, Ini Ememobong, said in a statement.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Rivers State has approved the decentralisation of the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise to the Registration Area (RA) and Ward levels across the state.

The decision was announced in a press release issued on January 30, 2026, signed by Geraldine Ekelemu, Head of Voter Education and Publicity, for the Resident Electoral Commissioner, INEC Rivers State.

The move is aimed at bringing voter registration closer to eligible citizens and boosting participation in the electoral process, particularly at the grassroots.

According to INEC, the ward-level CVR exercise will commence on Monday, February 2, 2026, and will run for a period of 50 days on a rotational basis across the 319 wards in Rivers State.

The Commission said the move is part of sustained efforts to expand voter access, reduce barriers to registration, and encourage greater inclusion of eligible Nigerians in the democratic process.

INEC urged citizens who have attained the age of 18 years to take advantage of the exercise when it reaches their wards.

The exercise also covers voters seeking to transfer their registration, replace lost or damaged Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), or correct errors in their voter records.

READ ALSO: Why We Initially Slashed Awujale Form Price From ₦100m To ₦10m — Fusengbuwa Ruling House

The Commission further called on community leaders, civil society organisations, political parties, the media, and other stakeholders to support public sensitisation efforts and ensure a peaceful and orderly registration process across the state.

The Katsina State Government has clarified that the ₦155 billion to construct 3,500 Housing Units in Kankia, Charanchi Local Government Areas will transform the lives of Katsina residents, providing housing, employment, and agricultural opportunities.

Over the last week, the government signed a Memorandum of Agreement with COSMOS Residential City Nigeria Limited to develop 3,500 housing units across the state, coupled with a groundbreaking aqua agriculture project.

The project is expected to have significant economic benefits, with the General Manager of the Katsina State Housing Authority, Aliyu Kurfi, praising the State Governor, Malam Dikko Radda, and Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Architect Ahmed Dangiwa, for their commitment.

The landmark initiative, which, according to him, comes at no cost to the state, promises to empower thousands of youths, boost agriculture, and provide affordable housing to residents.

Speaking at a press briefing on Thursday night at his office in the State Secretariat Complex, the Head of Service, Alhaji Falalu Bawale, clarified that the project is a game-changer, with the consultant recovering investments through agricultural produce sales.

He explained that the consultant will be allocated only land and a guarantee by the state government to construct the houses, and train participants in agriculture and aquaculture, with a monthly stipend of N200,000.

He added that the houses will be allocated to participants from all 34 LGAs, promoting inclusive development.

It would be recalled that the Katsina State Government and COSMOS Residential City Nigeria Limited, on January 22, 2026, signed a ₦155 billion Memorandum of Understanding to build 3,500 housing units in Kankia and Charanchi Local Government Areas of the state.

Governor Dikko Radda, while signing the MoU at the Katsina Government House on Thursday evening, explained that 2,500 housing units would be built in the Kankia Local Government Area, while the remaining 1,000 housing units would be developed in the Radda community of Charanchi Local Government Area, totalling 3,500 under an innovative agro-residential model valued at about ₦155 billion.

According to the governor, the project, which would be executed within a time frame of 16 months to two years, will combine modern housing units with backyard fish farming and vegetable gardens in every home, creating sustainable livelihoods for beneficiaries.

He added that the state government has allocated land for the project in Kankia and Radda, and will also identify unemployed youths and low-income households, including those without formal education but with practical farming and vocational skills, as beneficiaries.

READ ALSO: Why We Initially Slashed Awujale Form Price From ₦100m To ₦10m — Fusengbuwa Ruling House

According to him, the beneficiaries are expected to earn up to ₦200,000 monthly, with a compulsory savings of between ₦ 50,000 and ₦ 70,000 to gradually offset investors’ costs, after which the houses and farms will become their personal property within a period of three to five years.