Wike-Supported Faction Takes INEC to Court, Demands Ibadan Convention Be Nullified

In an attempt to prevent the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognizing the party’s recent national convention in Ibadan, Oyo State, a faction loyal to Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike filed a lawsuit before the Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday, escalating the crisis plaguing the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The PDP, Acting National Chairman Mohammed Abdulrahman, and National Secretary Samuel Anyanwu filed lawsuit FHC/ABJ/CS/2501/2025, requesting that the court declare the November 15–16 Ibadan convention and all decisions made there “null, void, and of no effect.”

The plaintiffs, who are all Wike supporters, maintain that the convention was held in flagrant violation of three Federal High Court rulings.

They contended that the court had already declared the 21-day notice for the convention to be invalid and specifically prohibited the party from carrying out any such exercise.

The plaintiffs listed the following in the original summons:

the ruling in FHC/ABJ/CS/2120/2025 (Austine Nwachukwu v. INEC & Ors) on October 31;

the November 11 interim order and the November 14 ruling in FHC/ABJ/CS/2299/2025 (Sule Lamido v. PDP & Ors);

Nyesom Wike v. PDP & Ors, FHC/ABJ/CS/139/2023, was decided on May 31, 2023.

The plaintiffs claimed that the 5th through 25th defendants, including Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, Acting National Chairman Umar Damagum, and other notable members, organized themselves and their allies and called the Ibadan convention, where important party members were expelled and national officers were chosen, in spite of these decisions.

Anyanwu said in an affidavit that on November 18, the Damagum-led group made an attempt to “forcibly take control” of the PDP national secretariat located at Wadata Plaza and Legacy House in Abuja.

He claims that the Department of State Services and the police “sealed up the premises” and prevented lawful authorities from entering their offices rather than carrying out the court orders.

According to the affidavit, “the second to fourth defendants have now sealed up the first plaintiff’s premises and denied the second and third plaintiffs access to their offices.”

The plaintiffs requested that the court rule that INEC, the Inspector-General of Police, the FCT Commissioner of Police, and the DSS are required by the constitution to uphold the previous rulings.

They also look for:

an order prohibiting the recognition of the Ibadan convention and any decisions made there by INEC and security forces;

an order prohibiting the defendants numbered six through twenty-five from posing as PDP officials;

an order requiring the security services to safeguard the plaintiffs and give them entry to Legacy House and Wadata Plaza;

an injunction prohibiting INEC from recognizing changes to the PDP’s official address outside of its two Abuja headquarters.

In light of the current rulings, the Constitution, the Electoral Act, and the PDP Constitution, the plaintiffs further requested that the court decide whether any authority may legitimately recognize the Ibadan convention.

A judge has not yet been assigned to the case, and the hearing date has not been set.