The Kabiru Turaki-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has formally requested Justice Joyce Abdulmalik to recuse herself from presiding over a suit filed against the party’s leadership.
The suit, initiated by a rival faction aligned with FCT Minister Nyesom Wike and led by Acting National Chairman Alhaji Mohammed Abdulrahman, challenges the authority of the Turaki-led PDP leadership.
In response, Turaki’s camp, through a legal team headed by Chris Uche (SAN), filed a motion seeking two key orders: That Justice Abdulmalik recuse herself from the case, citing reasonable apprehension that her continued involvement may prevent a fair and impartial hearing.
That the suit be reassigned to another judge of the Federal High Court for determination on its merits.
In their motion, the defendants cited twelve grounds supporting their request, emphasizing that the constitutional right to a fair hearing under Section 36(1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) extends to the right to an impartial tribunal.
Uche argued that the judge’s handling of the case, including the issuance of ex parte orders, raised concerns of potential bias and mirrored prior rulings by another judge in a similar PDP dispute.
He noted that the matter, which pertains to the party’s national convention, is a domestic dispute within PDP, and that the judge’s ex parte orders at a preliminary stage directly impacted the core issues of the case. Uche stressed that judicial proceedings must not only be fair but also appear fair to all parties.
“The continued involvement of Justice Abdulmalik, despite formal written objections, deepens the apprehension of partiality. Justice in this matter is at risk of compromise, and the integrity of the judicial process will be better preserved through reassignment,” he argued.
Additionally, the motion seeks injunctions restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognizing any office address outside its records for the Turaki-led faction, and preventing the faction from claiming representation of PDP in any capacity.
The plaintiffs also seek orders compelling INEC, the Inspector-General of Police, the FCT Police Command, and the Department of State Services (DSS) to enforce previous Federal High Court rulings in favor of the Wike-aligned faction.
The suit names INEC, the I-G of Police, FCT Police Commissioner, and DSS as the first to fourth defendants, while Turaki, Arapaja Taofeek, and other party leaders are listed as the fifth to twenty-fifth defendants.
During proceedings on Friday, lawyers representing the parties confirmed that certain processes had not yet been received. Justice Abdulmalik adjourned the matter to allow parties to regularize filings, setting January 14, 2026, for the hearing of pending applications and the substantive suit.
In a separate, related case filed by the Turaki-led faction, similar procedural issues were noted, and the court fixed January 16, 2026, for the hearing of all pending matters. This second suit includes motions directing police officers to vacate PDP’s national headquarters at Wadata Plaza, Wuse, Abuja, among other reliefs.
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