The Supreme Court has reserved judgment in the appeal filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) challenging the Court of Appeal’s decision that nullified its national convention held last year in Ibadan, Oyo State.
A five-member panel of the apex court, led by Justice Garba Mohammed, announced on Wednesday that the date for judgment delivery would be communicated to all parties after hearing final arguments from lawyers representing the disputing sides.
The PDP faction led by Tanimu Turaki approached the Supreme Court seeking to overturn the appellate court ruling, which invalidated the convention on the grounds that it was conducted in violation of a subsisting court order.
It will be recalled that Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja had earlier restrained the party’s National Executive Committee, led by Ambassador Iliya Damagum, from proceeding with the convention scheduled for November 15 and 16, 2026, in Ibadan.
The court had ordered that the convention should not be held until former Jigawa State Governor Alhaji Sule Lamido—an aspirant for the national chairmanship position—was given the opportunity to obtain nomination forms and participate in the election process.
Despite the order, the PDP proceeded with the convention, arguing that the Federal High Court lacked jurisdiction over what it described as an internal party affair.
However, the Court of Appeal disagreed, holding that the matter was justiciable and not purely internal, and subsequently nullified the outcome of the convention for disobedience of the Federal High Court’s order.
Dissatisfied with the ruling, the PDP asked the Supreme Court to set aside the appellate judgment, insisting that both lower courts lacked jurisdiction to intervene in the party’s internal affairs.
The respondents, however, urged the apex court to dismiss the appeal for lacking merit and uphold the decision of the Court of Appeal.
Judgment has been reserved to a later date.
