The Supreme Court of Nigeria has nullified the national convention of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) held in Ibadan, Oyo State, in November 2025, bringing an end to months of legal uncertainty surrounding the party’s leadership.
The convention, conducted on November 15 and 16, had produced a factional national executive led by Tanimu Turaki, but was immediately embroiled in controversy and legal challenges.
At the heart of the dispute were allegations that the exercise violated existing court orders and failed to comply with the party’s constitution. Critics had also raised concerns over unresolved disputes from state congresses and the exclusion of some aspirants from the process.
Earlier, a Federal High Court had stopped the convention, ruling that it breached the PDP’s constitution and disregarded judicial directives. The decision was subsequently upheld by the Court of Appeal Nigeria, which affirmed that the exercise was conducted in defiance of valid court orders and could not stand.
Despite these rulings, the Turaki-led faction approached the Supreme Court, seeking to overturn the judgments and validate both the convention and the leadership it produced.
However, in its final verdict, the apex court voided the Ibadan convention, effectively upholding the earlier decisions of the lower courts and invalidating the factional executive that emerged from the exercise.
The ruling brings closure to the protracted legal battle over the PDP’s disputed convention and leadership crisis.
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