The Supreme Court of Nigeria has fixed April 22 for the hearing of appeals arising from the protracted leadership crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), intensifying the legal battle between rival factions struggling for control of the opposition party.
The appeals were filed by a faction of the party led by former Minister of Special Duties, Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, challenging the judgments of the Court of Appeal delivered on March 9, which upheld earlier rulings against the party’s planned national convention.
A five-member panel of the apex court, headed by Mohammed Garba, fixed the hearing date on Tuesday after granting an application for accelerated hearing.
In a move signalling urgency, the court abridged the time for filing legal briefs, directing respondents to submit their responses within five days, while the appellants were given just two days to reply.
The legal dispute stems from decisions of the appellate court affirming earlier judgments of the Federal High Court in Abuja, which restrained the PDP from conducting its national convention pending compliance with statutory provisions, including the Electoral Act and internal party regulations.
The Federal High Court rulings, delivered by Justices James Omotosho and Peter Lifu, followed suits instituted by aggrieved party members, including former Jigawa State governor, Sule Lamido.
At Tuesday’s proceedings, several high-profile party stakeholders were present in court, including Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, alongside Turaki and other key figures.
The latest development comes amid escalating tensions within the PDP, with rival factions laying claim to the party’s leadership and structures.
The faction-backed National Working Committee allegedly loyal to Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, had commenced renovation of the party’s national secretariat, Wadata Plaza, in Abuja, following its unsealing by police authorities.
The move sparked fresh controversy, as the Turaki-led faction described the takeover and unsealing of the secretariat as contemptuous of ongoing legal proceedings.
Sources within the party disclosed that renovation works, including repainting, replacement of air conditioners, and changes to office locks, were already underway, even as concerns mounted that staff members aligned with the Turaki faction might face difficulty accessing the premises.
The competing claims over the party’s leadership and control of its headquarters underscore the deepening crisis within the PDP, with the Supreme Court’s forthcoming ruling expected to play a decisive role in determining the party’s immediate future
