Court To Hear Turaki-led PDP’s Motion For Stay In Wike-led PDP’s Suit

The Federal High Court in Abuja, on Wednesday, fixed Jan. 23 for hearing of the application for stay of further proceedings filed by the Kabiru Turaki-led Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) against a suit instituted by a faction of the party in the camp of the FCT Minister, Mr Nyesom Wike.

1. Justice Joyce Abdulmalik adjourned the matter to allow counsel for the plaintiffs, Dr Onyechi Ikpeazu, SAN, respond to the motion for stay.

Wike-led PDP and its acting National Chairman, Alhaji Mohammed Abdulrahman, alongside Sen. Samuel Anyanwu, the factional National Secretary, had filed the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/2501/2025, seeking an order of injunction, restraining the Turaki-led leadership (5th to 25 defendants) from parading themselves as representatives of the PDP in any capacity whatsoever.

They also prayed the court to stop the police and Department of State Services (DSS) from allowing the Turaki-led leadership access to the party’s national secretariat at Wadata Plaza in Abuja.

Justice Abdulmalik had earlier granted an ex-parte motion brought by the plaintiffs directing the parties not to take any action pending the hearing and determination of the suit.

Following the order, the Turaki-led PDP challenged the decision at the Court of Appeal and filed an application for the court to stay proceedings in the suit pending the decision of the Appeal Court.

The Turaki-led leadership, through their lawyer, equally filed a motion on notice asking Justice Abdulmalik to recuse herself from the case arguing there is likelihood of bias against them in the manner the suit had been handled by the judge.

Justice Abdulmalik had, on Dec. 5, 2025, adjourned the matter to Jan. 14 to allow parties regularized their processes and for hearing of all pending applications and the substantive suit.

When the case was called on Wednesday, lawyer to the plaintiffs, Ikpeazu, informed the court that on the last adjourned date, the court ruled that all pending applications would be taken together with the substantive case hence ready to proceed.

But Chris Uche, SAN, who appeared for the Turaki-led leadership of the PDP, informed the court that on Dec. 5 when the matter came up, they drew the attention of the judge to the motion for recusal, asking her to withdraw from the case before the adjourned date for the plaintiffs to respond to their motion.

Uche, who said the processes were already before the court, added that a motion for stay of further proceedings in the pending suit had also been filed therefore, prayed the court to stay proceedings pending the determination of their appeal and urged the court to adjourn the matter indefinitely.

Responding, Ikpeazu admitted that though an appeal had been filed, the lawyer argued that an appeal in a matter does not automatically translate into a stay of execution or proceedings arguing that in determining whether or not to proceed, the nature of the appeal is of utmost relevant arguing a stay cannot be granted if an appeal does not affect the subject matter of the suit.

But the judge held that Ikpeazu should file a formal application in response to the motion for stay and consequently adjourned the matter until Jan. 23 for hearing of the application for an order staying further proceedings in the suit.

Garry Ochigbo, Edited By Grace Namiji