By John Azu
A mild drama unfolded at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday as two Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) appeared separately to represent the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in a suit filed against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), exposing the party’s lingering internal divisions.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1159/2026, was instituted by the PDP Board of Trustees (BoT), led by former Senate President Adolphus Wabara, alongside the party, seeking judicial intervention to compel INEC to recognise and publish the Kabiru Turaki-led interim National Working Committee (NWC) on its official records and website.
The plaintiffs had filed the originating summons on June 4 through their counsel, Chris Uche (SAN).
Proceedings took an unexpected turn when two lawyers announced appearances on behalf of the PDP.
While Gordy Uche (SAN) informed the court that he was representing all members of the Board of Trustees as well as the PDP, Sunday Ameh (SAN) also rose to announce his appearance for the party, creating confusion over who had the authority to represent the opposition party in the matter.
The development highlighted the ongoing leadership tussle within the PDP and underscored the factional divisions that have continued to trail the party’s affairs.
In the suit, the BoT and the PDP are asking the court to direct INEC to immediately update its records and publish the composition of the interim National Working Committee as approved and forwarded by the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) on May 4.
The plaintiffs include prominent members of the PDP Board of Trustees, among them former Senate President Adolphus Wabara, BoT Secretary and former Niger State Governor Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, former Minister of Information Prof. Jerry Gana, and PDP elder statesman Chief Olabode George.
Also listed as plaintiffs are former ministers Maryam Ciroma and Zainab Maina, as well as BoT and NEC member Dame Esther Uduehi. The PDP itself is joined in the suit as the fifth to eighth plaintiffs.
The case is expected to test the legality of the party’s interim leadership structure and could have significant implications for the PDP’s internal governance and relationship with the electoral commission.