The Federal High Court in Abuja has set January 23, 2026, for the hearing of an application seeking a stay of further proceedings filed by the Kabiru Turaki-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The motion arises from a suit instituted by the faction aligned with FCT Minister Nyesom Wike.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik adjourned the matter on Wednesday to allow the plaintiffs’ counsel, Onyechi Ikpeazu, to formally respond to the stay application.
The Wike-aligned PDP, represented by acting National Chairman Mohammed Abdulrahman and factional National Secretary Samuel Anyanwu, filed the suit (FHC/ABJ/CS/2501/2025) seeking to restrain the Turaki-led leadership from parading themselves as party representatives.
The plaintiffs also asked the court to direct the police and the Department of State Services (DSS) to bar the Turaki faction from accessing the PDP national secretariat at Wadata Plaza, Abuja, and to ensure that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) recognizes only the official party address.
Justice Abdulmalik had earlier issued an ex-parte order restraining parties from taking any further steps pending the determination of the suit.
The Turaki faction subsequently appealed this decision and filed motions for a stay of proceedings and for the judge’s recusal, citing alleged bias.
During Wednesday’s hearing, Ikpeazu argued that an appeal does not automatically halt court proceedings, noting that the appeal in question was against an interlocutory decision.
In response, Chief Chris Uche, counsel for the Turaki faction, insisted that the trial court should pause proceedings until the appeal is resolved, citing legal precedent.
Justice Abdulmalik adjourned the case to January 23, 2026, for the hearing of the stay application.
On the recusal request, Uche asked the judge to step down and referred the matter to the Chief Judge for reassignment, arguing that the defendants had petitioned against certain judges handling PDP internal dispute cases due to perceived partisanship.
He also criticized the timing and format of a prior ex-parte order issued on November 25, 2025, shortly after the suit was filed.
Speaking to journalists after the hearing, PDP National Working Caretaker Committee Publicity Secretary Jungudo Mohammed expressed hope that the court would grant the plaintiffs’ request.
He cited two previous Federal High Court judgments that had restrained any planned party convention, warning against members who continued to act in defiance of court orders.
