Turaki-led PDP seeks choose’s withdrawal in celebration management dispute go well with

The Kabiru Turaki-led Peoples Democratic Party has requested Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal Excessive Courtroom, Abuja, to recuse herself from a go well with filed in opposition to the celebration’s management.

In accordance with Turaki’s authorized group, led by Chief Chris Uche (SAN), there exists an inexpensive and well-founded apprehension of bias in opposition to their purchasers within the method the matter has been dealt with.

The Turaki faction instituted the motion following an earlier go well with filed by a rival faction aligned with the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, and led by its performing Nationwide Chairman, Alhaji Mohammed Abdulrahman.

Within the go well with, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2501/2025, the plaintiffs, PDP, Abdulrahman and factional Nationwide Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, requested the courtroom to restrain the police and the Division of State Companies from permitting the Turaki-led management (fifth to twenty fifth defendants) entry to the celebration’s nationwide secretariat at Wadata Plaza, Abuja.

The go well with, dated and filed on November 21, by Dr Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), listed INEC, the IGP, the Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, and the DSS as first to fourth defendants.

The fifth to twenty fifth defendants included Amb. Umar Damagun, Kabiru Turaki (SAN), Arapaja Taofeek, Alhaji Hamza Kosre and Dr Daniel Woyengikuro, amongst others.

The plaintiffs within the go well with sought an order restraining the Impartial Nationwide Electoral Fee from accepting another workplace tackle from the Turaki-led management aside from that already contained in its data.

They additional prayed the courtroom to cease the Turaki-led group from parading themselves as PDP representatives in any capability.

Moreover, they requested for a declaration compelling INEC, the IGP, the FCT Commissioner of Police and the DSS to implement the selections of the Federal Excessive Courtroom in judgments delivered by Justices James Omotosho and Peter Lifu.

Nevertheless, in a movement on discover, the Turaki-led management sought two principal orders:

“An order for his lordship, Justice Abdulmalik, to recuse herself from additional presiding over or taking any additional steps on this go well with upon circumstances giving rise to cheap apprehension that the fifth to twenty fifth defendants/candidates won’t obtain a good and neutral listening to earlier than this courtroom.

“An order of this honourable courtroom remitting this go well with to the Chief Decide of the Federal Excessive Courtroom for re-assignment to a different choose of the Federal Excessive Courtroom for dedication on its benefit.”

Uche, citing 12 grounds in assist, argued {that a} honest listening to is constitutionally assured beneath Part 36(1) of the 1999 Structure (as amended).

He mentioned the defendants had petitioned the Chief Decide, Justice John Tsoho, requesting that instances regarding PDP’s inner disputes shouldn’t be assigned to Justice Abdulmalik and two others as a consequence of “previous antecedents and perceived partisanship”.

He acknowledged that regardless of the objection, the go well with was assigned to Justice Abdulmalik.

A follow-up letter requesting reassignment was additionally ignored, he mentioned, but the choose proceeded to listen to the matter.

Uche additional argued that the case, filed on November 21, 2025, was introduced earlier than Justice Abdulmalik, who on November 25, 2025, made an ex parte order in opposition to the defendants in a fashion he described as “curious”, noting similarities with orders beforehand made by Justice Omotosho.

He mentioned the orders have been made when there was no actual urgency and successfully decided the substantive points at an interim stage.

He added that the choose acted regardless of receiving letters of protest from his purchasers.

He maintained that judicial proceedings “should not solely be honest however should manifestly seem like honest”, insisting {that a} cheap observer would apprehend bias within the circumstances.

At Friday’s proceedings, Ikpeazu appeared for the plaintiffs, Uche for the fifth to twenty fifth defendants, whereas Mimi Ayua represented the police.

All events knowledgeable the courtroom that they’d but to obtain among the filed processes.

Justice Abdulmalik adjourned the matter to permit events to regularise their filings.

She fastened January 14, 2026, for the listening to of all pending functions and the substantive go well with.

A second go well with filed by the Turaki-led faction was additionally heard later within the day.

Within the matter, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2520/2025, PDP, its Nationwide Chairman, Turaki, and Nationwide Secretary, Arapaja, sued the IGP and the Nigeria Police Power as first and second defendants.

They prayed the courtroom for an order directing cops to vacate Wadata Plaza, amongst different reliefs.

Mr Ken Njemanze (SAN), representing events in search of to be joined, Abdulrahman, Senator Samuel Anyanwu and the BOT Chairman, Senator Mao Ohuabunwa, advised the courtroom he was but to be served.

Justice Abdulmalik ordered all events to file their processes earlier than the following adjourned date and stuck January 16, 2026, for the listening to of all pending functions and the substantive matter.