THE Court of Appeal of Nigeria sitting in Abuja on Monday dismissed appeals filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) challenging earlier judgments that restrained the party from proceeding with its controversial national convention held in Ibadan, Oyo State, in November 2025.
News Point Nigeria reports that in a series of unanimous rulings, a three-member panel of the appellate court upheld the decisions of the **Federal High Court and ruled that the appeals brought by the party lacked merit.
The court also awarded ₦2 million in costs against the PDP, describing one of the appeals as frivolous.
The rulings represent a major legal setback for the opposition party amid its lingering leadership crisis.
In one of the appeals, the PDP had challenged the October 31, 2025 judgment delivered by Justice James Omotosho, which restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising the outcome of the party’s national convention scheduled for November 15 and 16, 2025, in Ibadan, Oyo State.
Justice Omotosho had ruled in a suit filed by three aggrieved PDP members that the party failed to comply with provisions of its constitution and relevant electoral laws before organising the convention.
The plaintiffs in the suit included Austin Nwachukwu, PDP chairman in Imo State; Amah Abraham Nnanna, PDP chairman in Abia State; and Turnah Alabh George, PDP secretary for the South-South zone.
The defendants in the suit were the Independent National Electoral Commission, the PDP, its National Secretary Samuel Anyanwu, National Organising Secretary Umar Bature, the party’s National Working Committee and National Executive Committee, as well as Umar Damagum, Ali Odefa, and Emmanuel Ogidi.
In its ruling on Monday, the appellate court dismissed the PDP’s appeal and held that the trial court was correct in granting the reliefs sought by the plaintiffs.
The court also rejected the party’s argument that the Federal High Court lacked jurisdiction to hear the case on the grounds that the dispute was purely an internal party affair.
According to the court, the issues raised in the suit involved the protection of democratic rights and compliance with the law, making them matters the court had jurisdiction to determine.
It further held that the plaintiffs had the locus standi, or legal right, to institute the suit.
The appellate court also dismissed the PDP’s claim that it was denied a fair hearing in the proceedings.
In another major ruling, the Court of Appeal affirmed the November 14, 2025 judgment delivered by Justice Peter Lifu, which barred the PDP from conducting its national convention without allowing former Jigawa State governor Sule Lamido to participate as a candidate for the position of national chairman.
Justice Lifu had ruled in favour of Lamido, who approached the court claiming he was unfairly excluded from contesting the position.
The appellate court agreed with the trial court and held that the PDP proceeded with the convention in defiance of a valid subsisting court order.
Describing the party’s action as contemptuous, the court stated that the convention was conducted in clear disregard of the authority of the court.
The justices emphasized that the PDP could not unilaterally decide which court orders to obey and which to ignore.
“It is not for any party in a case to decide which order to obey or ignore,” the court held.
The panel added that the party should have either sought a stay of execution of the order or filed an appeal before going ahead with the convention.
Despite the restraining orders from the Federal High Court, the PDP went ahead with its convention in Ibadan, where new national officers were expected to be elected.
The convention later became a major point of contention within the party and contributed to its ongoing leadership crisis.
The appellate court held that the trial court acted correctly in assuming jurisdiction over Lamido’s suit and granting the reliefs he sought.
Consequently, the court dismissed the PDP’s appeal for lacking merit and again imposed ₦2 million in costs against the party.
Several PDP leaders from the rival factions within the party were present in court when the judgments were delivered.
Our correspondent observed the group led by Kabiru Tanimu Turaki and another faction led by Abdulrahman Mohammed in attendance during the proceedings.
Interestingly, the National Secretary of the Mohammed-led National Working Committee, Samuel Anyanwu, was also seen exchanging pleasantries with Turaki before the ruling.
The development comes amid a prolonged leadership struggle within the PDP, with rival factions laying claim to the control of the party’s national structure.