Nigeria's Supreme Court has upheld a lower court's ruling nullifying the Peoples Democratic Party's (PDP) 2025 Ibadan convention, prompting the party's Board of Trustees (BoT) to assume national leadership. BoT Chairman Senator Adolphus Wabara issued directives for stability and reconciliation, though the Anyanwu faction rejected the BoT's interpretation of the judgment.
Building on the Federal High Court's January 2026 nullification of the PDP's national convention in Ibadan on November 15–16, 2025—which produced the National Working Committee (NWC) led by Kabiru Tanimu Turaki—the Supreme Court has now dismissed appeals, upholding suspensions of key officials including Senator Samuel Anyanwu, Hon. Umar Bature, and Barr. Kamaldeen Ajibade.
BoT Chairman and former Senate President Senator Adolphus Wabara stated on April 30, 2026, that the judgment invalidates all actions by these officials, such as the appointment of Abdulrahman Mohammed as Acting National Chairman and the March 29, 2026, convention in Abuja. Invoking Section 32(5) of the PDP constitution, the BoT has assumed national leadership to fill the vacuum, restore stability, and foster reconciliation ahead of the 2027 elections.
Plans include an emergency National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting to appoint an interim NWC ensuring Electoral Act compliance. Party staff have been directed to resume operations at the national secretariat under BoT oversight.
Jungudo Haruna Mohammed, spokesman for the Anyanwu camp, contested the BoT's claims on Channels TV, emphasizing that the Supreme Court simply dismissed the appeal without directing the BoT to take over and that suspensions were not addressed.
