A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, on Monday called on party leaders to close ranks and resolve the lingering internal dispute following a judgment by the Court of Appeal of Nigeria on the party’s controversial national convention.
Olawepo-Hashim described the crisis rocking the opposition party as a “family quarrel,” urging stakeholders to embrace reconciliation and unity in the interest of the party and the country.
His reaction followed the appellate court’s decision dismissing an appeal filed by a faction of the party led by former Minister of Special Duties, Kabiru Turaki, SAN.
The appeal was one of nine harmonised appeals challenging the October 31, 2025 judgment of the Federal High Court of Nigeria in Abuja, which restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission from validating the outcome of the PDP’s national convention held in Ibadan in November 2025.
In a unanimous judgment delivered by a three-member panel led by Uchechukwu Onyemenam, the Court of Appeal held that the Federal High Court had jurisdiction to hear the suit.
The appellate court rejected the appellants’ argument that the matter was purely an internal affair of the party and therefore outside the jurisdiction of the court.
Justice Onyemenam held that the appellants could not disguise what the court described as a violation of both the party’s constitution and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as a mere internal dispute.
The court further ruled that the PDP failed to comply with relevant constitutional and statutory provisions required before conducting a valid national convention.
Among its findings, the court noted that no valid notice of the convention was served on the Independent National Electoral Commission as required by law.
It also held that valid congresses were not conducted in more than 14 states of the federation before the convention was convened.
Reacting to the judgment, Olawepo-Hashim, in a statement made available to The PUNCH Online, said the time had come for all contending factions within the PDP to put the dispute behind them and focus on rebuilding the party.
“This is a family quarrel that must now end at the Appeal Court. Leaders on both sides have agreed in principle to unite and harmonise positions in all the talks and negotiations we have heard,” he said.
He expressed optimism that the reconciliation efforts currently underway among party leaders would ultimately restore unity within the PDP.
“We trust that this unity would be achieved by the grace of God. Nigerians earnestly expect this and posterity demands it,” Olawepo-Hashim added.
The PDP has in recent months been embroiled in internal disagreements and legal battles among rival factions, a development that has raised concerns among party stakeholders about the party’s cohesion.
