The leadership crisis engulfing the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has deepened, with the party’s recognised leadership considering legal action against a rival faction led by Tanimu Turaki over its continued claim to authority within Nigeria’s main opposition party.
Senior party officials said petitions had already been submitted to security agencies, accusing the Turaki faction of persistently presenting itself as the PDP’s leadership despite a series of court rulings that, they argue, undermine its legitimacy.
The party’s national publicity secretary, Jungudo Mohammed, said the PDP was awaiting advice from its legal department on whether further action should be pursued through the courts.
“We are law-abiding men and women, and we cannot do beyond what the security agencies are supposed to do,” Mohammed said. “What we have done is to submit petitions and draw the attention of the police and other relevant agencies. It is now up to those authorities to act within the confines of the law.”
The dispute stems from the aftermath of a Supreme Court ruling delivered on 30 April, which, in a closely divided 3–2 judgment, nullified the PDP national convention held in Ibadan in November 2025. The convention, backed by Oyo State governor Seyi Makinde, had produced a leadership team headed by former minister Tanimu Turaki.
Following the ruling, the Board of Trustees under Adolphus Wabara reconstituted Turaki and other allies into an Interim National Working Committee, creating a parallel structure that has continued to operate alongside the leadership recognised by the Independent National Electoral Commission and aligned with Federal Capital Territory minister Nyesom Wike.
Mohammed said the party had exercised restraint and remained confident that security agencies were handling the matter, although he expressed frustration over what he described as delays in resolving the dispute.
“I know that Turaki and Wabara were invited by the police on the same issues,” he said. “Yet they have remained determined in pushing narratives that are inconsistent with the legal position.”
While declining to specify what form future legal action might take, Mohammed said the party would review its options if the situation persisted.
“At the appropriate time, we will assess developments and determine whether legal proceedings are necessary. Our legal department will advise accordingly,” he added.
The Turaki camp, however, dismissed the threats as misguided and accused its opponents of misunderstanding the legal issues at stake.
Ini Ememobong, spokesperson for the Turaki-led Interim National Working Committee, argued that the dispute was a matter for the courts rather than security agencies and insisted that the faction’s actions were fully consistent with judicial decisions, the PDP constitution and Nigerian law.
“Our reaction is simple: it shows the level of ignorance of the law upon which they operate,” Ememobong said. “This is not a security matter. It is a legal issue involving the interpretation and implementation of court judgments.”
He also warned that those initiating complaints should not assume they would emerge victorious.
“It is not always the petitioner who is right,” he said. “Sometimes the petitioner becomes the hunted.”
Ememobong maintained that the Turaki-led leadership remained the legitimate authority within the PDP and vowed that it would continue to manage the party’s affairs despite the challenges.
The latest exchange underscores the depth of divisions within the PDP as rival camps continue to battle for control of the party ahead of the 2027 general election. With competing claims to legitimacy and no immediate resolution in
