PDP crisis is family affair that has gone sour – Appeal court’s Justice Georgewill

The Court of Appeal sitting in Ibadan has urged the warring factions within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to resolve their differences amicably, describing the party’s internal crisis as a family dispute that had “gone sour.”

The appellate court, presided over by Justice Biobele Georgewill, gave the advice while hearing appeals arising from conflicting judgments delivered by the Federal High Court and the Oyo State High Court in Ibadan over the party’s Ibadan convention.

The development followed a Motion on Notice filed on March 4, 2026 by counsel to the appellant, Mr Fredrick Ladapo, seeking to withdraw the appeal.

During the proceedings, Justice Georgewill asked lawyers representing both sides to clarify the various applications and processes pending before the court for determination.

Commenting on the dispute, the judge noted that the internal crisis within the PDP was essentially a family matter that had escalated unnecessarily.

“The dispute in the PDP as a family affair has gone sour,” Justice Georgewill said, adding that the notice of withdrawal of the appeal had created an opportunity for the parties to resolve the matter outside the courtroom.

Following the development, the court directed the two factions in the party to meet with their lawyers to negotiate and agree on terms of settlement.

Justice Georgewill explained that once the parties present the agreed terms before the court, they would be adopted as the judgment of the court.

The court subsequently adjourned the matter until March 11 to allow the parties report back on the outcome of their discussions.

The adjournment also covers the two appeals seeking to set aside the conflicting decisions of the Federal High Court, Ibadan, and the Oyo State High Court, Ibadan, on the PDP’s Ibadan convention.

Justice Georgewill further directed counsel representing both sides to return to court on the adjourned date to indicate whether their clients were willing to embrace settlement.

He added that if the parties fail to resolve the dispute amicably, the court would either proceed with hearing the appeal or transfer the case to Abuja for consolidation with other appeals relating to the dispute.