Court Dismisses Suit Seeking INEC Recognition of Turaki-Led PDP Leadership

The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has dismissed a suit seeking to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise the Tanimu Turaki (SAN)-led interim National Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Justice Salim Ibrahim, who delivered the judgment on Friday, ruled that the court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the matter and struck out the case after upholding preliminary objections filed by the respondents.

The suit was instituted by members of the Senator Adolphus Wabara-led Board of Trustees, who asked the court to direct INEC to update its records and publish the names of the Turaki-led interim leadership on its website.

The plaintiffs contended that the names of the executives had been forwarded to INEC through official correspondence dated May 4 following decisions of the party’s National Executive Committee.

The action was brought by former Senate President Adolphus Wabara alongside Muazu Babangida Aliyu, Prof. Jerry Gana, Chief Olabode George, Maryam Ciroma, Zainab Maina, Dame Esther Uduehi and the PDP.

During the proceedings, a rival faction loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, challenged both the jurisdiction of the court and the plaintiffs’ authority to institute the suit.

The group, led by National Chairman Alhaji Abdulrahman Mohammed, insisted it remained the legitimate leadership of the PDP and sought to be joined as an interested party.

Justice Ibrahim granted the joinder application, holding that the applicants’ interests would be directly affected by the outcome of the case.

In dismissing the suit, the court ruled that the action constituted an abuse of court process because it sought to relitigate matters that had already been settled by previous court decisions.

The judge also held that the plaintiffs lacked the authority to sue in the name of the PDP and accordingly struck out the party’s name from the proceedings.

Justice Ibrahim further ruled that the reliefs sought would conflict with subsisting judgments and described the case as merely academic since INEC had already monitored the convention that produced the Abdulrahman Mohammed-led executives.

“The court does not decide hypothetical or academic questions,” the judge held.

The court also observed that the dispute was unsuitable for determination through an Originating Summons because of the contentious issues involved.

In addition, Justice Ibrahim noted that existing judgments had nullified the Ibadan convention that produced the Turaki-led executives.

Having upheld the respondents’ preliminary objections, the court dismissed the suit in its entirety.

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