PDP Crisis Deepens As Wabara, Babangida Aliyu, Jerry Gana, Others Drag INEC To Court

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is once again engulfed in turmoil as its Board of Trustees (BoT), led by Adolphus Wabara, has taken the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to court. The suit seeks official recognition of the party’s interim National Working Committee (NWC), a move that underscores the depth of the party’s leadership crisis.

The Legal Battle
Filed on June 4 at the Federal High Court in Abuja, the suit (FHC/ABJ/CS/1159/2026) asks the court to compel INEC to update its records and publish the names of the interim NWC members. These names were forwarded to the commission by the PDP’s BoT and National Executive Committee (NEC).

The plaintiffs include prominent figures: Wabara, former Niger State Governor Muazu Babangida Aliyu, former Information Minister Jerry Gana, PDP stalwart Olabode George, ex-ministers Maryam Ciroma and Zainab Maina, and BoT member Esther Uduehi. INEC is the sole defendant.

Background to the Crisis
The lawsuit follows a Court of Appeal ruling on June 3 that nullified parts of a Federal High Court judgment delivered in Ibadan. That earlier judgment had recognised a factional caretaker committee within the PDP. The appellate court faulted the lower court for granting reliefs not sought by any party, effectively reopening the leadership dispute.

What the Plaintiffs Want
The PDP leaders argue that INEC is constitutionally bound to enforce existing court judgments on the party’s leadership. They want the commission to accept and act on all communications from the interim NWC constituted by the BoT and NEC.

In an affidavit, Babangida Aliyu explained that several party officials, including former National Secretary Samuel Anyanwu, were suspended in November 2025 for misconduct and anti-party activities. Subsequent court rulings upheld the suspensions and nullified the PDP’s national convention held that same month.

Aliyu said the judgments created vacancies in the party’s leadership, prompting the BoT to establish an interim NWC to manage affairs until a valid convention is conducted. He added that details of the interim NWC were communicated to INEC in May 2026, but the commission has failed to update its records or recognise the committee.

INEC’s Role Under Scrutiny
The plaintiffs insist that INEC has a constitutional obligation to comply with valid court judgments. By refusing to recognise the interim NWC, they argue, the commission is undermining judicial authority and worsening the PDP’s internal crisis.

Implications for PDP
This lawsuit highlights the PDP’s fragile state ahead of the 2027 general elections. The party, once Nigeria’s dominant political force, continues to struggle with factional disputes and leadership battles. The inability to resolve these conflicts internally has pushed senior figures to seek judicial intervention.

The case also raises questions about INEC’s role in managing political party records. If the court rules in favour of the plaintiffs, INEC will be compelled to recognise the interim NWC, potentially reshaping the PDP’s leadership structure.

The Bigger Picture
The PDP crisis reflects broader challenges in Nigeria’s political landscape, where internal party democracy often clashes with entrenched interests. For the PDP, the outcome of this lawsuit could determine whether it stabilises in time to mount a credible challenge in 2027 or continues to fracture under competing factions.

As the suit awaits assignment to a judge, the PDP remains in limbo. Wabara, Aliyu, Gana, and their allies are pressing for recognition of the interim NWC, while INEC’s silence deepens uncertainty. The court’s eventual decision will not only shape the PDP’s future but also test the balance between judicial authority and electoral oversight in Nigeria’s democracy.