The release of the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the Supreme Court judgment in Appeal No. SC/CV/164/2026 has further intensified the leadership debate within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), following the unanimous dismissal of the cross-appeal filed by Senator Samuel Anyanwu and others.
The judgment, delivered by Justice Stephen Jonah Adah, JSC, and concurred with by the other members of the five-man panel, dismissed both the main appeal and the cross-appeal.
On the issue of the cross-appeal, the Supreme Court held:
“The Cross-Appeal is in the circumstance of the decision in the main appeal, dismissed.”
Justice Haruna Simon Tsammani, JSC, also stated:
“The Cross-Appeal is without merit and is hereby dismissed.”
Similarly, Justice Chioma Egondu Nwosu-Iheme, JSC, held:
“I also agree that the Cross-Appeal stands dismissed as well.”
The judgment has now become a major reference point in the ongoing PDP leadership crisis, especially regarding the status of suspended party officials and the validity of actions taken during the disputed period.
Supporters of the Interim National Working Committee (iNWC) argue that the Supreme Court decision has effectively reinforced the position that suspended officials lacked the legal authority to administer party affairs.
According to party stakeholders aligned with the iNWC, any action, appointment, or communiqué issued by suspended officers during the disputed period cannot stand in law.
The development has also reignited controversy surrounding the March 29, 2026 convention in Abuja, which critics described as lacking constitutional legitimacy.
Following the 103rd National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting chaired by Senator Adolphus Wabara, the PDP leadership crisis led to the emergence of the Interim National Working Committee (iNWC), headed by Barrister Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, SAN.
The iNWC maintains that its emergence was backed by the provisions of the PDP Constitution (2017 as amended), particularly the powers of the NEC to supervise and take decisions concerning party administration.
Political observers say the release of the CTC is likely to shape the next phase of the PDP leadership struggle as different factions continue to interpret the implications of the Supreme Court ruling.