Court of Appeal ousts PDP National Working Committee in leadership dispute
The Court of Appeal in Abuja has nullified the Taminu Turaki-led National Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party, intensifying the leadership crisis in Nigeria's main opposition party.
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Nigeria's Court of Appeal has removed the disputed National Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party led by Alhaji Taminu Turaki, delivering a significant blow to one faction in the party's escalating leadership battle.
The Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal upheld two judgments dismissing the NWC's legitimacy, according to The Nation Newspaper. The ruling comes as the opposition party grapples with internal fragmentation that threatens its viability ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike, a key figure in the party's internal disputes, called the verdict an opportunity to rebuild. "Yesterday's verdict of the Court of Appeal in Abuja has offered an opportunity to rebuild the opposition party," Wike said in a statement welcoming the judgment.
The crisis deepened as Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal defected from the PDP to the All Progressives Congress, becoming the ruling party's 31st governor. The defection further weakens the PDP's position in state politics, reducing its gubernatorial representation across Nigeria.
Party stakeholders including former Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose, presidential aspirant Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, and former senator Mao Ohuabunwa have urged reconciliation to prevent further disintegration. The leaders called on both factions to "sheathe their swords" following the court verdicts, according to The Nation.
The leadership dispute has paralysed the party's operations for months, with competing claims to legitimacy undermining its capacity to function as an effective opposition. The Court of Appeal's decision may force a resolution, though it remains unclear whether the losing faction will accept the ruling or pursue further legal remedies at the Supreme Court.
The PDP has controlled Nigeria's presidency for 16 years between 1999 and 2015 before losing to the APC. Its current internal turmoil raises questions about its ability to mount a credible challenge in the next electoral cycle, particularly as President Bola Tinubu's administration consolidates power ahead of 2027.