The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja has affirmed the judgment of the Federal High Court imposing a N140 million fine on the Senator Adolphus Wabara-led Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over a suit instituted against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and others.
The appellate court, in a judgment delivered virtually on Wednesday by Justice Ruqayat O. Ayoola in appeal numbered, CA/ABJ/CV/1221/2026, dismissed the appeal filed by Wabara and other members of the BoT, describing their challenge as unsuccessful.
The appeal was against the July 19, 2026 judgment of Justice Salim Ibrahim of the Federal High Court, Abuja, in suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/1159/2026.
In the judgment, Justice Ayoola held that all nine issues formulated by the appellants for determination were resolved against them, adding that the appeal failed and the decision of the lower court was affirmed.
The appellate court also upheld the lower court’s findings that it lacked jurisdiction to entertain the suit, which bordered on the internal affairs of a political party, and that the action was academic and an abuse of court process.
The court further affirmed the lower court’s alternative findings on the substantive issues, holding that they were correct.
Consequently, the appellate court ordered the appellants to pay costs of N5 million each to the first respondent, the second to fourth respondents jointly, and the fifth to seventh respondents jointly.
The total costs awarded by the appellate court amounted to N15 million against the first to seventh appellants.
The court, however, granted in part the preliminary objections filed by the fifth to seventh respondents and the motion filed by the eighth appellant, resulting in the striking out of the PDP’s name from the appeal.
It also overruled the preliminary objections of the second to fourth respondents, except that grounds 11 and 12 of the notice of appeal, which were not covered by any issue for determination, were deemed abandoned and struck out.
Justice Ayoola further held that the order on costs made by the Federal High Court remained undisturbed, subject to the scope of the appeal and the specific grounds properly brought before the appellate court.
The judgment was unanimously supported by the other members of the panel, who agreed with the reasoning and conclusions of the presiding justice and also endorsed the orders on costs.
The dispute arose from a suit filed on June 4, 2026, by members of the Wabara-led PDP Board of Trustees, seeking an order compelling INEC to recognise the interim National Working Committee (NWC) faction led by Kabiru Turaki on its official website, among other reliefs.
The plaintiffs had argued that the names of the Turaki-led NWC members were forwarded to INEC through letters dated May 4, 2026.
Those who instituted the action included former Senate President Adolphus Wabara; former Niger State Governor Babangida Aliyu; former Minister of Information Jerry Gana; PDP chieftain Olabode George; former Minister of Women Affairs Maryam Ciroma; Zainab Maina; Esther Uduehi; and the PDP.
However, the Wike-backed PDP faction challenged the suit, arguing that the Wabara-led BoT lacked the authority to institute proceedings on behalf of the party.
END
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