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By Our Correspondent 

The faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led by its Interim National Working Committee Chairman, Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, SAN, has vowed to challenge the latest Court of Appeal judgment at the Supreme Court after suffering a setback in its legal battle over the party’s leadership crisis.

The faction made its position known in a statement issued on Wednesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Ini Ememobong, following the dismissal of an appeal filed by Senator Adolphus Wabara and seven others against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and six other respondents.

The appeal, marked CA/ABJ/CV/1221/2026, sought, among other reliefs, an order setting aside the judgment of the Federal High Court, which declined to compel INEC to recognise the Interim National Working Committee led by Turaki.

The committee was reportedly constituted at a meeting of the party’s National Executive Committee convened after the judgment of the Supreme Court.

However, a three-member panel of the Court of Appeal, comprising Justices Ugochukwu Anthony Ogakwu, Laja Balogun and Ruqayat Oremei Ayoola, who read the lead judgment, upheld the decision of the Federal High Court and dismissed the appeal.

Reacting to the judgment, the Turaki-led faction said it respected the decision of the appellate court but remained determined to pursue its quest for justice at the apex court.

It disclosed that it had instructed its lawyers to immediately initiate an appeal before the Supreme Court, expressing confidence that justice would eventually prevail.

“While we respect the judgment of the court, we are determined to take our quest for justice anchored on truth to the apex court in the land,” the statement said.

The faction maintained that its legal struggle was not merely about the control of the PDP but also about preserving the party’s relevance and the survival of multiparty democracy in Nigeria.

It argued that the PDP, as the country’s major opposition party, must remain strong enough to provide an alternative to the ruling party rather than become an appendage of the government.

“The Peoples Democratic Party must, as an opposition party, offer alternative to the ruling party, and not become an appendage of it. Democracy survives only when the opposition is strong enough to effectively engage the government,” Ememobong stated.

The faction also appealed to its supporters and party members not to lose faith in the struggle, urging them to remain steadfast as the legal battle moves to the Supreme Court.

Expressing optimism about the eventual outcome, it said the challenges confronting the party would ultimately become a defining chapter in the history of Nigeria’s democratic development.

It added that the anticipated victory would vindicate those who had remained committed to the struggle and serve as a positive legacy for future generations.

The latest judgment represents another setback for the Turaki-led faction in its bid to secure judicial backing for its leadership claim, with the Supreme Court now expected to be the next battleground in the protracted PDP leadership crisis.

The statement was signed by Ememobong in his capacity as National Publicity Secretary of the Interim National Working Committee and dated November 4, 2026.