In a major blow to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the Abuja division of the Federal High Court on Friday, July 17, 2026, dismissed a suit seeking to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognize the Senator Adolphus Wabara-led Board of Trustees (BoT) and its aligned interim national leadership. ​
Presiding Judge, Justice Salim Ibrahim, characterized the marathon legal challenge as “an abuse of court process, unmeritorious and lacking in merit,” slamming a heavy N140 million fine against the plaintiffs for initiating a frivolous lawsuit. ​
The internal crisis rocking the PDP took a dramatic turn in court after prominent members of the party’s BoT, including former Senate President Senator Adolphus Wabara, former Niger State Governor Babangida Aliyu, Prof. Jerry Gana, and Chief Olabode George approached the court to enforce a leadership change.
​The plaintiffs sought a mandatory order directing INEC to recognize the interim National Working Committee (NWC) faction led by Kabiru Turaki, SAN and update its official records and website to reflect the Turaki-led leadership based on letters submitted to the electoral umpire on May 4.
The plaintiffs demanded order Granting the faction access codes required for the submission of candidates ahead of upcoming electoral deadlines. ​Delivering the marathon judgment, Justice Ibrahim upheld the preliminary objections raised by INEC and rival party defendants.
The court ruled that it lacked the jurisdiction to entertain the suit, emphasizing that the leadership dispute firmly bordered on the internal affairs of a political party.
​”The plaintiffs failed to prove any entitlement to the reliefs sought,” Justice Ibrahim held, maintaining that the court could not interfere in domestic party squabbles.
​Furthermore, the judge struck out the name of the PDP as the 8th plaintiff in the matter. He agreed with the defense’s argument that the Wabara-led BoT and the first seven plaintiffs had no legal authority to institute a lawsuit on behalf of the entire political party.
​The judgment effectively solidifies the position of the rival PDP faction led by National Chairman Mohammed Abdulrahman, a group heavily aligned with the political camp of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike. ​
While the Wabara-led plaintiffs were represented in court by Chief Gordy Uche, SAN, and Emmanuel Ukala, SAN, the defense was mounted by high-profile legal teams, including Joseph Daudu, SAN. ​In addition to dismissing the substantive suit, the court awarded N140 million in punitive costs against the Wabara-led faction and an additional N10 million against their legal counsel for pursuing the unmeritorious litigation.
This ruling leaves the Turaki-led interim faction frozen out of INEC’s portal as electoral deadlines fast approach.
