The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has dismissed as false and misleading a purported Certified True Copy (CTC) of the recent Supreme Court judgment on the party’s lingering leadership dispute, insisting that the document being circulated does not emanate from the apex court.
The party said the so-called CTC lacked the official features required of an authentic Supreme Court document, noting that the pages did not bear certification, endorsement, or signatures of authorised court officials.
In a statement released by the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Mohammed Haruna Jagunda, the opposition party accused individuals linked to the faction led by Kabiru Tanimu Turaki of deliberately twisting the Supreme Court ruling in a bid to create confusion within the party and mislead the public.
The PDP maintained that the Supreme Court judgment did not suspend Senator Samuel Anyanwu or any other member of the National Working Committee, contrary to claims being circulated by some party stakeholders.
According to the statement, the apex court equally did not hand over the control of the party to the Board of Trustees (BoT), nor did it declare any vacancy in the PDP leadership structure.
The party explained that the judgment merely upheld earlier decisions of lower courts which dismissed the suit instituted by the Turaki-led group, adding that the Supreme Court’s decision effectively ended the legal battle against the current leadership.
The PDP further clarified that the section of the judgment being relied upon by some individuals was only a minority opinion and not the binding majority judgment delivered by the court.
It stressed that under Nigerian law, only the majority decision of a panel constitutes the enforceable judgment of the court.
The statement also noted that Senator Anyanwu did not file any cross-appeal challenging issues relating to his suspension or expulsion from the party.
According to the PDP, the only cross-appeal before the Supreme Court concerned the legal standing of a counsel representing the party in the matter.
The party said since the main appeal was struck out by the apex court, the cross-appeal was consequently dismissed without any pronouncement on suspension, expulsion, or leadership changes within the PDP.
The opposition party questioned why members allegedly aligned with the Turaki camp had continued to defect to other political parties if, as they claimed, the Supreme Court judgment was in their favour.
It accused such individuals of attempting to manufacture a crisis within the PDP through false interpretations of the ruling.
The PDP therefore urged media organisations, political commentators, and members of the public to disregard what it described as deliberate misrepresentations of the court judgment.
It also called on those spreading the alleged false narrative to immediately retract their claims in the interest of truth and public accountability.
Reaffirming its stability, the party assured members, supporters, and aspirants that its structures remained valid and recognised, adding that there was no legal obstacle preventing the PDP from participating fully in future elections, including the 2027 general polls.
The party further stated that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) continued to recognise its existing leadership structure despite the controversy surrounding the court ruling.
