The Supreme Court has voided the Ibadan, Oyo State National Convention, effectively dismantling the leadership structure established by the Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The Supreme Court voided the Ibadan convention on Thursday, April 30, 2026, upheld earlier rulings by the Court of Appeal which argued that the November 15 national convention was held in flagrant defiance of an existing Federal High Court order.
The ruling nullifies the election of the Tanimu Turaki-led National Working Committee (NWC), plunging the nation’s main opposition party into a fresh constitutional crisis just as the 2027 election cycle begins to heat up.
Makinde, who served as a primary backer and host of the disputed gathering, had championed the event as a “unification congress” intended to stabilize the party.
However, the legal challenge—led by rival faction aligned with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike—successfully argued that the proceedings were procedurally flawed.
In a split decision delivered by a five-member panel of the apex court, three justices held that the appeal filed by the Turaki-led faction lacked merit and affirmed the concurrent findings of the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal against the conduct of the convention.
Justice Stephen Adah, who delivered the lead judgment in appeal number SC/CV/164/2026, held that the appellants violated a subsisting order of the Federal High Court restraining them from proceeding with the planned convention.
The apex court consequently dismissed both the appeal and cross-appeals and ordered parties to bear their respective costs.
The court held that disobedience of the court order was not disputed.
The apex court further agreed with the findings of the lower courts that the PDP faction abused court processes by allegedly obtaining a counter-order from a court of coordinate jurisdiction in Ibadan after an earlier restraining order had been issued by the Federal High Court.
Justice Adah stated that the lower courts were right in relying on Sections 221, 222, and 229 of the 1999 Constitution to hold that political parties must comply strictly with constitutional provisions, electoral regulations, and valid court orders in the conduct of conventions and internal party affairs.
The appeal challenged the March 9 judgment of the Court of Appeal, which upheld the earlier decision of the Federal High Court nullifying the convention and restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission from recognising its outcome.
The apex court had reserved judgment in the matter after hearing arguments on April 22.
