The Supreme Court of Nigeria has fixed April 22, 2026, to hear two appeals filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) faction led by Kabiru Turaki, in a major development in the party’s lingering leadership crisis.
A five-member panel of the apex court, led by Mohammed Garba, fixed the date on Tuesday while ruling on applications brought before it.
The court granted accelerated hearing of the appeals, approving a departure from its standard procedures and shortening the timeline for filing legal briefs. It subsequently ordered the respondents to file their briefs within five days, while the appellants were directed to submit any reply within two days.
The panel then adjourned proceedings to April 22 for the substantive hearing of the appeals.
The ruling followed two motions on notice filed by the appellants and argued on Tuesday by their counsel, Chris Uche (SAN) and Paul Erokoro (SAN).
The appeals challenge the March 9 judgments of the Court of Appeal of Nigeria, which upheld earlier rulings of the Federal High Court of Nigeria in Abuja restraining the PDP from holding its planned national convention scheduled for November 15 and 16, 2025.
The lower court had ordered the party to halt the convention until it complied with relevant statutory provisions, including the Electoral Act and the 2022 Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties.
The Federal High Court judgments were delivered by James Omotosho and Peter Lifu in separate suits filed by four aggrieved PDP members, among them former Jigawa State governor, Sule Lamido.
Tuesday’s proceedings attracted key political figures, including Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, Turaki, former Niger State governor Aliyu Babangida, Lamido, and Taufeek Arapaja, underscoring the high stakes surrounding the dispute.
