Speaking after the ruling, the candidate, Bakauye, said the decision was consistent with the law and with common sense. According to him, the court simply affirmed a basic legal principle that laws cannot be applied retroactively and that due process must be followed in all internal party matters.
The suit, which was filed by members of a group led by Tanimu Turaki, had asked the court to order INEC to update its records and publish the names of an interim National Working Committee on the commission’s portal. The plaintiffs argued that the names were forwarded to the electoral body and that INEC had a duty to act on them.
In its judgment, the court held that the plaintiffs lacked the legal standing to institute the action and struck out the case. The judge also noted that the matter was academic and that evidence before the court showed that the convention which produced the current national leadership of the party was duly monitored by INEC.
For Bakauye, the outcome of the case brings clarity and strengthens the position of the leadership recognized by the electoral body. He said the dismissal of the suit has confirmed that the Abdulrahman Mohammed-led national leadership remains the structure through which the party will participate in future elections, including the 2027 general elections.
“This judgment removes distractions and allows us to focus on what matters, which is preparing to win elections and serve the people,” he said. “The court has done what is right. It followed the law and it followed logic.”
The governorship candidate urged members of the party in Zamfara and across the country to put aside differences and work together. He said the internal disagreements that have played out in recent months have taken too much energy away from the main task of engaging voters and presenting the PDP as a credible alternative.
“Warring factions must reconcile now so that we can move the party forward,” Bakauye stated. “We cannot afford to go into 2027 divided. The people are expecting leadership, and we must give it to them.”
He called on party stakeholders, elders, youth leaders and women groups to begin grassroots mobilization immediately. According to him, the PDP remains the party with the strongest structure and the deepest connection to Nigerians at the grassroots.
“There is no political party in Nigeria today that is as strong as the PDP when it comes to reach, experience and connection with the people,” he said. “If we organize well, if we speak with one voice, victory in 2027 is not just possible, it is certain.”
Bakauye also asked party members to get ready for the elections by ensuring their voter cards are intact and safely kept. He said the voters card is the most important tool for citizens to decide the future of the country and to hold leaders accountable.
“Keep your voters card in a safe place,” he urged. “That card is what we will use to vote out failures and bring in leaders who will deliver. The power is in the hands of the people, and we must be ready to use it.”
The Federal High Court ruling has been welcomed by many members of the PDP who say it will help the party close a chapter of internal disputes and focus on rebuilding. Party officials in Zamfara said they will use the period ahead to strengthen local structures, engage communities, and present clear policies on security, agriculture, education and healthcare.
As preparations for 2027 begin to gather pace, the call for unity within the PDP is expected to become louder. For the Zamfara governorship candidate, the path forward is clear: obey the law, respect party processes, reconcile differences, and go to the polls as one united party.
