PDP Turaki Faction Vows Appeal After Court Rejects Mandamus Application
The Kabiru Turaki-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party has declared its intention to challenge a Federal High Court ruling in Ibadan that declined to issue an order of mandamus in its favour, describing the Friday judgment as anticipated but nonetheless requiring appellate review.
The court’s decision, which centred on jurisdictional concerns, held that granting the mandamus would effectively place it in an appellate position over decisions made by courts of coordinate jurisdiction—a legal principle that prevents courts of equal standing from reviewing or overturning each other’s rulings.
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In a statement released through the faction’s National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, via social media platform X on Friday, the Turaki-led group confirmed it has directed its legal team to file an immediate appeal and pursue all available remedies to safeguard its interests in the matter.
“We have instructed our legal team to immediately file an appeal and take all necessary legal steps to protect our position,” the statement read, adding that the faction remains “legally intact and unshaken” despite the court’s refusal.
The Turaki faction emerged from a convention held in Ibadan, which has become a focal point in the wider leadership crisis currently engulfing the PDP. The party, which governed Nigeria from 1999 to 2015 and remains the country’s main opposition force, has been grappling with internal fractures over leadership legitimacy, convention validity, and the recognition of competing executive structures.
Factional disputes within Nigerian political parties are not uncommon, particularly within the PDP, which has experienced multiple leadership contests since losing power at the federal level. These disputes often centre on the interpretation of party constitutions, the legitimacy of conventions, and compliance with the Electoral Act and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The order of mandamus, a judicial remedy that compels a public body or lower court to perform a duty required by law, is frequently sought in political disputes where parties claim that statutory or constitutional obligations have not been fulfilled. However, Nigerian courts have consistently held that such orders cannot be used to circumvent the appellate process or usurp the jurisdiction of coordinate courts.
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The Turaki faction’s statement sought to reassure party members and supporters, urging them to “remain resolute and committed,” and insisting that “there is absolutely no cause for alarm.”
“Notwithstanding this judgment, the Kabiru Turaki–led Peoples Democratic Party, which emerged from the Ibadan Convention, remains legally intact and unshaken, as we await the authoritative pronouncement of the appellate courts,” the statement added.
It further emphasised that what it described as “the rebirth movement” within the party “remains firmly on course,” signalling the faction’s determination to continue its legal and political strategy despite the setback.