A faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has vowed to challenge the judgment of the Federal High Court in Abuja striking out its suit seeking recognition of Kabiru Turaki as the party’s authentic national chairman.
The judgment, delivered on Friday by Justice Salim Ibrahim, dismissed the suit filed by the Adolphus Wabara-led Board of Trustees (BoT), which is aligned with the Turaki-led interim National Working Committee (NWC).
The ruling is considered a setback for the Turaki-led faction, which had earlier adopted former President Goodluck Jonathan as its presidential candidate for the 2027 general election.
The PDP has remained divided into two factions, with the group backed by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, currently recognised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Justice Ibrahim held that the dispute centred on the leadership of the PDP, describing it as an internal party affair beyond the jurisdiction of the court.
Reacting in a statement, the National Publicity Secretary of the Turaki faction, Ini Ememobong, said the judgment would be challenged at the Court of Appeal.
He said, “While we respect the judgment of the trial court, we respectfully consider that it is against the extant judgments of the appeal and apex courts, leaving the plaintiffs with no option but to appeal the judgment and the rulings therein.
“The plaintiffs have accordingly briefed their lawyers to take immediate steps to appeal the rulings and judgment. We are hopeful that as we climb the ladder of the law, the victory of truth over lies, principles over compromise, and the survival of true opposition and multi-party democracy will be assured.
“The politics of power, money and greed may last for a while, but we are certain that though our victory may be postponed, as the struggle continues, we will eventually attain it.”
In a separate statement, Wabara also rejected the judgment, accusing the court of exceeding the issues before it.
He said the court “went outside the issues before it to make pronouncements in favour of individuals that were not parties in the case.”
Wabara maintained that the judgment was against the PDP and Nigeria’s democracy, insisting that it could not stand in the face of the law.
Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.
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