Turaki-led PDP accuses judge of bias

The National Chairman, Peoples Democratic Party, Tanimu Turaki.

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The Kabiru Turaki-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party has asked Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of a Federal High Court, Abuja, to recuse herself from hearing a suit filed against the party’s leadership.

Led by Chris Uche, SAN, Turaki’s legal team argued that there is a “reasonable and well-founded apprehension of bias” in how the matter has been handled.

The suit follows an earlier action by a rival PDP faction aligned with Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike, led by acting National Chairman Alhaji Mohammed Abdulrahman.

In the suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2501/2025, the plaintiffs—PDP, Abdulrahman, and factional National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu—asked the court to restrain the police and the Department of State Services from allowing the Turaki-led leadership access to the party’s national secretariat at Wadata Plaza, Abuja.

Filed on November 21, 2025, by Dr Onyechi Ikpeazu, SAN, the suit listed INEC, the IGP, the Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, and the DSS as 1st to 4th defendants.

The 5th to 25th defendants included Amb. Umar Damagun, Turaki, Taofeek Arapaja, Alhaji Hamza Kosre, and Dr. Daniel Woyengikuro, among others.

The plaintiffs also sought to prevent the Turaki-led group from presenting themselves as PDP representatives and requested that INEC recognize only the leadership recorded in its official records.

Additionally, they urged the court to compel enforcement of previous Federal High Court judgments delivered by Justices James Omotosho and Peter Lifu.

In response, the Turaki-led faction filed a motion requesting “an order for his lordship, Justice Abdulmalik to recuse herself from further presiding over or taking any further steps in this suit upon circumstances giving rise to reasonable apprehension that the 5th to 25th defendants/applicants will not receive a fair and impartial hearing before this court.

“An order of this honourable court remitting this suit to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court for re-assignment to another judge of the Federal High Court for determination on its merit.”

Uche argued that the case was improperly assigned to Justice Abdulmalik despite previous petitions and letters requesting reassignment due to perceived partisanship.

He added that an ex-parte order was issued against his clients on November 25, 2025, in a manner resembling previous orders by Justice Omotosho, despite no urgent circumstances.

“At the core, judicial proceedings must not only be fair but must manifestly appear fair. In this case, a reasonable observer would apprehend bias,” Uche said.

At Friday’s proceedings, Ikpeazu appeared for the plaintiffs, Uche represented the 5th to 25th defendants, and Mimi Ayua appeared for the police.

The judge adjourned the matter to allow parties to regularize their filings, fixing January 14, 2026, for the hearing of all pending applications and the substantive suit.

Later, a second suit filed by the Turaki-led faction, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2520/2025, was also heard.

In that case, Turaki, Arapaja, and PDP sued the IGP and the Nigeria Police Force, seeking an order directing police officers to vacate Wadata Plaza.

Justice Abdulmalik ordered all parties to file their processes ahead of the next hearing, scheduled for January 16, 2026.

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