Bode George Slams Appeal Court Ruling on PDP Convention, Calls Judgment Disheartening

Elder statesman and chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Bode George, has criticised a recent ruling by the Court of Appeal over the party’s leadership dispute, describing it as “absolutely disgusting and disheartening.”

George made the remarks on Thursday during an interview on Frontline, a public affairs programme on Eagle 102.5 FM in Ilese Ijebu, monitored in Abeokuta.

The PDP stalwart was reacting to a ruling by the Court of Appeal which upheld an earlier decision of the Federal High Court nullifying the party’s 2025 national convention held in Ibadan.

The Abuja court had barred the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising the outcome of the convention where Kabiru Tanimu Turaki emerged as the PDP national chairman, citing the party’s alleged failure to comply with constitutional and internal guidelines before organising the convention.

Reacting to the decision, George accused some members of the judiciary of undermining justice and fairness.

“There is a Court of Appeal in Abuja that went ahead and delivered a judgment that I call absolutely disgusting and disheartening. It was a show of shame that legal luminaries would sit down and turn the truth upside down,” he said.

He lamented what he described as declining standards within the judicial system.

“The lady of justice, blindfolded in front of every court, holds a sword and a scale to dispense justice fairly. But when some members of the judiciary see the truth and still twist it, even laymen like me begin to ask: did these people go to law school? What is going on in Nigeria? There is no justice, fairness or equity anymore,” George added.

The PDP chieftain contrasted the Abuja ruling with another judgment delivered by the Court of Appeal sitting in Ibadan.

According to him, the Ibadan panel adopted a more conciliatory approach by declaring that disputes involving the election of party officials are internal party matters.

“The same Court of Appeal in Ibadan looked at the case and said issues concerning elected managers within a party are internal matters and not for the courts. They advised the parties to go back, meet and reconcile,” he said.

George also traced the PDP’s internal crisis to what he described as greed and mismanagement within the party, urging members—particularly the younger generation—to learn from history and demand justice in Nigeria’s political system.

On efforts to restore unity within the party, he said the PDP had accepted the Ibadan court’s directive to pursue reconciliation.

“We have accepted the directive of the Ibadan court to explore reconciliation. A team has been set up to engage with other factions,” he said.

George noted that the reconciliation move aligns with efforts by the PDP Board of Trustees led by former Senate President Adolphus Wabara to rebuild unity ahead of the 2027 general elections.

He added that the party may still approach the Supreme Court of Nigeria if necessary to challenge the Abuja judgment.