The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has criticised the Federal High Court’s judgment dismissing a suit filed by members of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) seeking recognition of the Kabiru Turaki-led Interim National Working Committee, describing the decision as legally flawed and inconsistent with an earlier ruling of the Court of Appeal.
In a statement issued on Sunday, its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Nnadozie Onwubiko, said the judgment raises serious concerns about judicial consistency and should be reviewed by the Court of Appeal in the interest of justice and constitutional democracy.
According to HURIWA, the trial court failed to adequately consider the implications of an earlier Court of Appeal decision which, it claimed, questioned the legal basis of the PDP’s March 29, 2026 convention by holding that the party’s purported National Legal Adviser, A.K. Ajibade (SAN), lacked the authority to issue legal instructions after his tenure had allegedly expired in December 2025.
The association argued that if the legal foundation of the convention had already been undermined by the appellate court, it was difficult to understand how the same convention could subsequently be relied upon to validate the leadership that emerged from it.
It warned that conflicting judicial pronouncements on related issues risk creating uncertainty and diminishing public confidence in the administration of justice.
HURIWA also faulted the trial court’s finding that the PDP Board of Trustees lacked the legal standing to institute the suit, insisting that the BoT is a constitutionally recognised organ of the party with the authority to protect its constitutional integrity.
“The PDP Board of Trustees is not an ad hoc creation of any faction. It is a permanent organ of the party that predates the current leadership crisis. To suggest that such a body lacks the locus standi to approach the court raises significant legal and constitutional questions that deserve appellate review,” the statement said.
The rights group further questioned the role played by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the proceedings, arguing that the electoral umpire should maintain strict neutrality in internal party disputes.
It said INEC’s opposition to the suit could create the impression that the commission had aligned itself with one faction in the PDP, a perception it warned could undermine public confidence in the electoral body’s impartiality.
While stressing that public confidence in the judiciary depends on consistency and adherence to constitutional principles, HURIWA urged the Court of Appeal to give the anticipated appeal accelerated hearing.
The association called on the appellate court to clarify the legal issues, reconcile what it described as conflicting judicial pronouncements and reinforce confidence in the rule of law.
HURIWA maintained that the judiciary remains the last hope of the common man and warned that inconsistent judgments in politically sensitive matters could weaken democratic institutions.
It added that the true test of the judiciary lies in its ability to uphold the Constitution and dispense justice impartially, irrespective of political interests.
