The Court of Appeal in Abuja has delivered a major blow to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) by upholding an earlier judgment that stopped the party’s planned National Convention.
In a decisive ruling on Monday, the appellate court threw out the appeal filed by the faction led by Kabiru Tanimu Turaki.
The legal battle centered on the legitimacy of the convention and the leadership structure of the main opposition party.
By affirming the decision of the Federal High Court, the appellate court has effectively put a freeze on any immediate plans to hold the national gathering.
The justices ruled that the appeal lacked merit and failed to provide sufficient grounds to overturn the lower court’s restraining order.
Beyond the suspension of the convention, the court took a stern stance against the appellants.
The panel awarded a cost of N2m against the Tanimu Turaki-led group, marking a significant financial and symbolic setback for that wing of the party.
The judges noted that the legal move by the faction was an unnecessary distraction to the judicial process.
This ruling intensifies the ongoing leadership crisis within the PDP. With the convention now officially blocked, the party remains in a state of legal and administrative limbo.
More details of the development to follow…