Factional chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Tanimu Turaki, has challenged a High Court bench warrant issued against him, describing the order as unjust and seeking its immediate reversal.
Turaki, through a statement released on Thursday by his Principal Private Secretary, Ibrahim Abdullahi, clarified that the case is a personal legal matter and not connected to the PDP or its internal affairs.
Earlier, a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory sitting in Maitama, Abuja, had issued a bench warrant for Turaki’s arrest after he failed to appear in court over allegations of providing false information to the police in a petition he filed as a private citizen in 2022.
According to the statement, Turaki’s absence was due to an unexpected hospital visit. It also noted that his legal team had already filed an application to quash the charge—an application they argued did not require his physical presence in court.
In response to the court’s order, Turaki’s lawyers have swiftly filed an appeal, alongside an application seeking a stay of execution of the bench warrant.
While distancing the case from party politics, the statement hinted at possible external influence, noting that political interference could not be entirely ruled out.
“We urge all party members to remain calm as Turaki’s legal team is effectively handling the situation,” the statement added.
