A fresh effort to resolve the leadership crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party emerged on Friday March 6, as the Court of Appeal sitting in Ibadan urged the party’s rival factions to pursue an amicable settlement, Truth Live News International reports.
The appellate court, led by Justice Biobele Georgewill, made the appeal during proceedings on separate appeals filed by the two camps involved in the dispute over the party’s national convention held in Ibadan.
While addressing counsel representing both sides, the court described the conflict as a “family affair gone sour,” suggesting that it could be resolved internally following the filing of a notice of withdrawal by one of the parties.
The court subsequently adjourned the matter until March 11 to allow time for both factions to meet with their lawyers and agree on possible terms of settlement.
The legal battle stems from conflicting judgments delivered by two courts over the validity of the PDP convention held in Ibadan on November 15 and 16, 2025.
One faction of the party, reportedly backed by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and led by caretaker committee chairman Abdulrahman Mohammed, had earlier obtained a ruling from the Federal High Court in Ibadan on November 25, 2025, nullifying the outcome of the convention.
However, in a separate suit, Justice Ladiran Akintola of the Oyo State High Court ruled on February 25 that the convention complied with the party’s constitution and the provisions of the Electoral Act, declaring it valid.
The court also affirmed that Taminu Turaki was lawfully elected as the National Chairman of the party.
Following the conflicting rulings, both factions filed appeals in Abuja and Ibadan seeking to overturn the earlier judgments.
During Friday’s hearing, counsel to one of the appellants, Fredrick Ladapo, informed the court that a Notice of Withdrawal of Appeal had been filed on March 4.
Justice Georgewill thereafter directed the parties to use the adjournment period to explore reconciliation. He added that once the parties reach a consensus, the agreed terms could be presented to the court and adopted as its judgment.
He further stated that if no settlement is reached, the court may proceed with the appeal or transfer the case to Abuja to consolidate all related appeals arising from the dispute.
Court affirms PDP candidate in Ekiti
In a related development, the PDP welcomed a ruling by the Federal High Court in Abuja directing the Independent National Electoral Commission to recognise Oluwole Oluyede as the party’s governorship candidate in Ekiti State.
The party’s factional National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, said in a statement that the judgment cleared the path for the party to participate fully in the forthcoming governorship election scheduled for July 20.
According to him, the court presided over by Justice Justice Umar granted all the reliefs sought by Oluyede and the PDP in the suit FHC/ABJ/CS/40/2026 against the electoral commission.
He stated, “The judgment of the Federal High Court, Abuja, presided over by Honourable Justice Umar, has granted all the reliefs sought by Dr. Oluwole Oluyede and the Peoples Democratic Party in the suit FHC/ABJ/CS/40/2026 against the Independent National Electoral Commission.”
Ememobong further noted that Oluyede had earlier been presented with a certificate of return by the party’s National Chairman, Kabiru Turaki, but that the electoral body initially refused to include his name on the list of candidates.
The court has now ordered INEC to place the candidate’s name and the party’s logo on the ballot while restraining the commission from excluding him from any election-related activities.
Reacting to the verdict, the PDP said it welcomed the ruling as “a confirmation of the reality in Ekiti and an acknowledgment that justice has indeed been served.”
The party also urged the electoral body to act within the confines of the law and avoid what it described as “unbridled partisanship.”
