Wike-backed PDP asks NBA to sanction lawyers over Appeal Court ruling on leadership dispute

Since the ruling became public, both factions have offered differing interpretations of the ruling.

A faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) backed by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has called on the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) to sanction legal practitioners misrepresenting the facts of a recent Court of Appeal ruling on the party’s leadership dispute.

The faction’s National Publicity Secretary, Jungudo Mohammed, made the call in a statement issued on Saturday to clarify its position on the court’s decision.

PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported that the Court of Appeal in Abuja dismissed an appeal filed by a faction of the PDP led by Kabiru Turaki, a former minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs in the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan.

The Turaki faction had sought a declaration from the appellate court recognising it as the authentic leadership of the party and affirming that the party’s national convention held in Ibadan on 15 and 16 November 2025 was conducted in line with the PDP constitution.

However, on Wednesday, a three-member panel of the court led by Uchechukwu Onyemenam held that the issue of the convention had already been determined by the Supreme Court, which nullified the convention and its outcome.

The court held that the matter had become “academic,” meaning there was no longer any live issue requiring judicial determination, as events had overtaken the dispute.

Since the ruling became public, both factions have offered differing interpretations of the judgment.

The Turaki faction, whose spokesperson is a lawyer, Ini Ememobong, claimed that the ruling affirmed the suspension of the Abdulrahman Mohammed-led National Working Committee (NWC) and nullified an earlier judgment of the Federal High Court in Ibadan that had declared the 2025 national convention invalid.

Responding, the Abdulrahman Mohammed-led faction, which is the one recognised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), accused the rival faction of distorting the court’s decision in an attempt to mislead the public.

The spokesperson, Mr Mohammed, said the alleged misrepresentation amounted to contempt of court and should be treated accordingly.

He urged the LPDC and the NBA to investigate and sanction any lawyers found culpable of deliberately distorting the appellate court’s ruling on the party’s leadership dispute.

“The Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) are urged to rise to the occasion by investigating the conduct of legal practitioners who deliberately misrepresent court judgments and use their professional standing to promote falsehoods capable of bringing the legal profession into disrepute,” he said.

Mr Mohammed also called on security agencies and regulatory authorities to investigate the source and purpose of the distortion of the judgment and to take appropriate action in accordance with the law.

He insisted that the court’s decision must be respected and faithfully represented.

“The judiciary remains the last hope of the common man. Its decisions must be respected, faithfully represented, and protected from manipulation by individuals seeking political advantage. The deliberate misrepresentation of court judgments constitutes a grave threat to the rule of law and the credibility of democratic institutions.

“The relevant security and regulatory agencies are further urged to urgently investigate these developments and take all necessary actions within the ambit of the law. No individual, regardless of status or professional standing, should be permitted to misrepresent the decisions of a court of competent jurisdiction without consequence,” Mr Mohammed said.