The Court of Appeal in Abuja has upheld the judgement of the Federal High Court restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising the outcome of the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) national convention held in Ibadan, Oyo State.

In a unanimous decision delivered by a three-member panel led by Justice Uchechukwu Onyemenam, the appellate court dismissed an appeal filed by a faction of the PDP led by a former Minister of Special Duties, Kabiru Turaki (SAN), challenging the jurisdiction of the lower court to entertain the suit.

The appeal formed part of nine harmonised appeals brought by the Turaki-led faction against the October 31, 2025 judgement of the Federal High Court in Abuja, which barred INEC from validating the outcome of the party’s November 15 and 16, 2025 national convention in Ibadan.

In its ruling, the Court of Appeal affirmed that the Federal High Court had jurisdiction to hear the suit, rejecting the argument that the dispute was merely an internal affair of the party.

The court held that the appellants could not “repackage a clear violation of the party’s constitution and that of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as an internal party affair.”

Justice Onyemenam further held that the PDP failed to comply with constitutional and statutory provisions required before a valid national convention could be held.

Among other findings, the court stated that no valid notice of the convention was served on INEC as required by law and that valid congresses were not conducted in more than 14 states before the convention was convened.

The appellate court stressed that compliance with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution, the Electoral Act 2022, and the party’s constitution and guidelines was fundamental to democratic governance.

“Non-compliance with the 1999 Constitution, the Electoral Act 2022 and the party Constitution and Guidelines strikes at the heart of democratic governance, and compliance must be strictly enforced in the interest of democracy,” the judge held.

The court subsequently dismissed the appeal and awarded ₦2m in costs against the appellants.

Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court had in his October 31, 2025 judgement restrained INEC from receiving, publishing, or recognising the outcome of the convention until the party complied with relevant provisions of the law.

The trial judge held that evidence before the court showed that congresses were not conducted in some states of the federation and that the PDP failed to issue the mandatory 21-day notice required to enable INEC monitor its meetings and congresses.

Justice Omotosho also ruled that notices and correspondence issued by the party’s National Chairman without the endorsement of the National Secretary were invalid.

The suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2120/2025 was filed by three aggrieved PDP members — Austin Nwachukwu, the Imo State PDP Chairman; Amah Abraham Nnanna, the Abia State PDP Chairman; and Turnah Alabh George, the PDP Secretary for the South-South.

The plaintiffs, through their counsel, Joseph Daudu (SAN), had asked the court to stop the planned convention where new national officers of the party were expected to be elected.

Those listed as defendants in the suit included INEC, the PDP, the party’s National Secretary Samuel Anyanwu, National Organising Secretary Umar Bature, the PDP National Working Committee, the National Executive Committee, Acting National Chairman Umar Iliya Damagum, Ali Odefa, and Emmanuel Ogidi.

A university lecturer in Oyo State has petitioned Guaranty Trust Bank (GTBank) over the alleged unauthorised withdrawal of ₦9.98 million from his account, demanding the immediate reversal of the funds.

The professor, through his solicitors, submitted a petition to the branch manager of the bank in Oyo, alleging that the transactions were carried out without his knowledge or approval.

According to the petition dated February 21, 2026, two separate transfers were made from the lecturer’s account within minutes, resulting in the withdrawal of a total sum of ₦9,980,000.

Details of the transactions showed that the first transfer of ₦4,990,000 was carried out at 10:19 a.m. to an account belonging to Isah Ahmed Ahmed on the Paga financial platform.

Another transfer of ₦4,990,000 was allegedly made at 10:21 a.m. to Nasir Nasir Sanusi, also linked to an account on the same platform.

The lecturer, however, denied authorising the transactions, insisting that he neither initiated the transfers nor disclosed his banking security credentials to any individual.

His solicitors maintained that at no time did their client compromise his Personal Identification Number, token, or other security information associated with the account.

They argued that the bank owed their client a duty of care to safeguard his funds and ensure that unauthorised access to his account was prevented.

In the petition addressed to the bank’s management and copied to its legal department, the professor demanded the immediate reversal of the ₦9.98 million allegedly withdrawn from his account.

The legal representatives warned that failure by the bank to refund the money within seven days of receiving the letter would compel their client to institute legal proceedings against the financial institution.

“Our client categorically denies authorising the transactions and holds the bank responsible for the unauthorised debits which occurred within its banking infrastructure and security framework,” the petition stated.

They urged the bank to treat the matter with urgency and ensure the swift restoration of the funds to the lecturer’s account.

The All Progressives Congress (APC),  in Oyo State has berated Governor Seyi Makinde and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over what it described as a fresh wave of political violence in the state.

The party said residents across the state deserved peace and stability even as they look forward to what it called a post-PDP era beginning from May 29, 2027.

Tension reportedly gripped parts of the state on Saturday when factions within the ruling PDP allegedly clashed during the conduct of a parallel Local Government Congress.

The development, according to reports, further highlighted the lingering internal crisis within the ruling party in the state.

Reacting to the incident, the APC, in a statement issued at the weekend and made available to journalists in Ibadan by its Publicity Secretary, Olawale Sadare, accused Makinde of worsening the concerns of residents by allegedly encouraging threats and violent confrontations among members of his party.

Sadare also faulted the governor over what he described as the government’s inability to adequately tackle security challenges such as kidnapping and banditry in parts of the state.

“The minds of many citizens were cast back to the days of political violence and unrest on Saturday when they witnessed how sponsored thugs and other criminal elements unleashed terror on PDP members who were opposed to the reported high-handedness and egocentric leadership style of Governor Makinde,” Sadare said.

He added that the aggrieved members of the PDP allegedly organised a separate ward congress which was reportedly disrupted by hoodlums in areas including Ibarapa North, Iseyin, Ibadan North-East and Ibadan North, among other local government areas.

“We recalled that the same set of hoodlums and their now out-of-favour leader, who is currently behind bars on the order of his estranged godfather, were responsible for a series of attacks against leaders and members of the APC during the electioneering period of the last general elections,” he stated.

“This time, it was brothers against brothers as factions within the PDP struggled to take control of the party structure.”

Sadare further alleged that while some thugs were deployed to disrupt the Local Government Congress, another group of hoodlums was mobilised to attack the Ibadan residence of a prominent PDP chieftain.

“An army of vicious hoodlums was mobilised to the Ibadan home of a chieftain of the party where they destroyed many cars and properties worth several billions of naira,” he stressed.

“They also inflicted varying degrees of injuries on men and women believed to be loyal to the faction associated with Nyesom Wike.”

Condemning the development, the APC spokesman urged Makinde to adopt dialogue rather than confrontation in resolving political disagreements.

“While this development remains condemnable, we urge Governor Makinde to have a rethink and learn to employ dialogue as a potent tool in resolving disputes and not violence or confrontation,” Sadare added.

He also called on security agencies to investigate the incidents with a view to identifying the perpetrators and their sponsors, stressing that the state could not afford a return to the era of widespread political violence.