S’Court Ruling: No Leadership Vacuum, PDP Faction Insists

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said the Supreme Court judgment delivered on April 30, 2026, did not create any leadership vacuum within the party, dismissing claims of suspensions, expulsions, or takeover as “deliberate distortions.”

The party made the clarification during a press conference held on May 1, 2026, at its national secretariat, Wadata Plaza, Abuja, where it addressed what it described as misinterpretations of the apex court’s ruling.

Speaking on behalf of the party, National Publicity Secretary, Hon. Jungudo Haruna Mohammed, said the judgment solely nullified the Ibadan “Convention” and dismissed an appeal filed by a group led by Kabiru Turaki (SAN) for lacking merit.

“Let it be clear and unambiguous that the Supreme Court judgment of yesterday only nullified the illegal Ibadan ‘Convention’ and dismissed the appeal filed by the Turaki-led purported National Working Committee for lacking in merit,” he said.

He stressed that the issue of suspension or expulsion of party officers did not arise at any stage of the litigation.

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“The judgment did not uphold any suspension or expulsion of any officer of the party. The reason is simple: the issue of suspension or expulsion was never before the Federal High Court, let alone the Court of Appeal or the Supreme Court,” Mohammed stated.

According to him, the apex court confined itself strictly to the validity of the 15th and 16th Ibadan “Convention,” noting that “throughout the Supreme Court judgment, there was no mention whatsoever of suspension or expulsion of any party officer.”

The PDP further maintained that its leadership structure remains intact and fully operational under the National Chairman, Hon. Abdulrahman Mohammed, and the National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu.

“It is also important to state that there has never been a vacuum, obstruction, or absence of leadership in our party… The leadership structure of the PDP remains intact, lawful, and fully operational,” he added.

The party accused a rival group of attempting to mislead the public and destabilise its structure, describing their actions as a continuation of “lawlessness” even after the Supreme Court ruling.

“What we are witnessing is a desperate attempt by a rejected group to twist the clear facts contained in the judgment… in order to mislead the public and seek undeserved sympathy,” the spokesman said.

On claims that the Board of Trustees (BoT) had taken over the party or could convene the National Executive Committee (NEC), the PDP said such assertions have no basis in its constitution.

“There is no provision in the Party’s Constitution that grants the Board of Trustees the power to take over the leadership of the party or assume the functions of the National Working Committee,” Mohammed stated.

He also rejected statements attributed to former BoT Chairman, Senator Adolphus Wabara, insisting that his tenure had expired and that the legitimate leadership of the board is headed by Senator Mao Ohuabunwa.

The party urged the public and media to disregard what it described as “nuisance and propaganda,” reiterating that “there are no factions in the PDP.”