The Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday ordered accelerated hearing in a suit filed by the Senator Adolphus Wabara-led Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the leadership crisis rocking the party.
Justice Salim Ibrahim gave the order after counsel to the plaintiffs, Chief Gordy Uche, SAN, informed the court that the matter was time-bound in view of INEC’s revised timetable and schedule of activities for the 2027 general elections, which he said gave July as an ultimatum.
The plaintiffs, made up of members of the Wabara-led BoT and the PDP, are asking the court to compel INEC to recognise the Kabir Turaki-led interim National Working Committee of the party and reflect the same on its official website.
They are also seeking an order directing the electoral umpire to update its records and publish on its website the names of members of the interim NWC as forwarded to it by the plaintiffs and the party’s National Executive Committee.
According to the plaintiffs, the names of members of the Kabir Turaki-led interim NWC were forwarded to INEC through letters dated May 4.
Naijaonpoint reports that the originating summons, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1159/2026, was filed on June 4 by a team of lawyers led by Chief Chris Uche, SAN.
The plaintiffs are former Senate President, Adolphus Wabara; BoT Secretary and former Niger State governor, Muazu Babangida Aliyu; former Minister of Information, Prof. Jerry Gana; and PDP chieftain, Olabode George, as 1st to 4th plaintiffs.
Others are former Minister of Women Affairs, Hajiya Maryam Ciroma; former Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Zainab Maina; BoT and NEC member, Dame Esther Uduehi; and the PDP as 5th to 8th plaintiffs, respectively.
INEC was sued as the sole defendant in the matter.
When the case was called, Uche announced the appearance for all the plaintiffs, including the PDP, which is listed as the 8th plaintiff.
He informed the court that the national chairman of the faction he represented, Kabir Turaki, SAN, was also in court, alongside Prof. Gana, the 3rd plaintiff.
However, Mr Sunday Ameh, SAN, also announced his appearance for the PDP.
Uche objected to the development, saying, “I have announced appearance for the 8th plaintiff, and I am surprised that the learned senior counsel also announced his appearance for the same plaintiff.
“And we have our national chairman here in court.”
The development generated confusion in court.
Ameh said he had instructions to represent the PDP and had filed a notice of change of counsel earlier in the morning.
He also said he filed a motion on notice seeking the striking out of the PDP’s name from the suit on the ground that the party did not authorise the action.
“When we get there, your lordship will determine the propriety of the application,” Ameh said.
After O.A. Adeyemi announced appearance for INEC, Adedayo Adedeji, SAN, also announced appearance for applicants seeking to be joined in the suit.
Adedeji listed the applicants seeking to be joined as 2nd, 3rd and 4th defendants as Hon. Austin Nwachukwu, Hon. Amah Abraham Nnanna and Mr Turnah George.
Another lawyer, George Ibrahim, SAN, also announced appearance for parties seeking to be joined as defendants.
Ibrahim said he represented Alhaji Mohammed Abdulrahman, the National Chairman of the PDP faction loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike; Senator Samuel Anyanwu, the National Secretary; and Kamardeen Adeyemi Ajibade, SAN, the party’s National Legal Adviser.
Adedeji told the court that he had filed a motion on notice for the applicants seeking to be joined on Thursday.
He argued that the joinder application should be heard and determined first before the court could proceed with the main suit.
Ibrahim also aligned himself with the position and urged the court to determine the joinder application before going into the substantive matter.
