Title: Appeal Court to Deliver Verdict on PDP Leadership Dispute Today Date Published: 09 March 2026 Description: The Court of Appeal in Abuja is expected to deliver judgment today, Monday, March 9, 2026, in nine consolidated appeals arising from the leadership crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).Notices issued by the court’s registry and sent to the parties confirmed that the appellate court will rule on the appeals filed by the two rival factions of the party challenging earlier judgments of the Federal High Court of Nigeria in Abuja.A three-member panel of the appellate court had on February 12 reserved judgment after hearing arguments from counsel representing the parties, stating that the verdict would be communicated on a later date.The appeals challenge decisions delivered by Justices James Omotosho, Joyce Abdulmalik and Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja concerning the internal leadership dispute within the PDP.The crisis involves two factions of the party, one aligned with Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Saminu Turaki, from whose camp he emerged as national chairman following the disputed national convention, and another group that recognises Abdulrahman Mohammed as chairman of the party’s National Caretaker Committee.In separate rulings, Justices Omotosho and Lifu restrained the party from proceeding with its planned national convention scheduled for November 15 and 16, 2025, in Ibadan, Oyo State, from which Turaki later emerged as national chairman.Justice Omotosho’s judgment was delivered in a suit filed by three aggrieved party members – Austin Nwachukwu, chairman of the PDP in Imo State; Amah Abraham Nnanna, chairman of the party in Abia State; and Turnah Alabh George, PDP Secretary for the South-South zone.The defendants in the suit included the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the PDP, its National Secretary Samuel Anyanwu, National Organising Secretary Umar Bature, the National Working Committee and the National Executive Committee of the party.In his ruling delivered on October 31, 2025, Justice Omotosho restrained INEC from recognising the outcome of the convention planned for Ibadan, citing the party’s failure to comply with provisions of its constitution and relevant laws guiding the conduct of such conventions.The court held that congresses were not conducted in some states of the federation and that notices and correspondence signed solely by the party’s national chairman without the national secretary were invalid. The judge also ruled that the PDP failed to issue the mandatory 21-day notice to INEC to enable it monitor the party’s meetings and congresses.Similarly, Justice Lifu delivered judgment on November 14, 2025, in a suit filed by former governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido, who challenged the conduct of the convention on the grounds that he was denied the opportunity to contest for the position of national chairman.The court upheld Lamido’s claims and directed the party to resolve its internal issues and comply with the law before proceeding with the convention.The Court of Appeal’s judgment today is expected to determine the legality of the disputed convention and could significantly shape the leadership structure of the PDP going forward. Attached Images: 923e26c0f1c169c6f5a0ce7bca582c2fb495dde90aa536dcdb28a5bb21eb5e62.jpg Attached Video: None