WorldStage– A Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court sitting in Abuja, the Nigeria’s capital city, has ordered the arrest of Kabiru Tanimu Turaki (SAN), a factional national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Justice U.P. Kekemeke issued a bench warrant for Turaki’s arrest on Thursday, March 26, 2026, due to his failure to appear in court for his scheduled arraignment.
The judge noted that Turaki had no justification for staying away after being served with a hearing notice, stating that a bench warrant is the proper order to ensure a defendant’s presence to answer to charges.
On January 28, the former minister was scheduled to be arraigned in court but the case was stalled because he was absent.
During the court proceedings, the prosecutor told the court that the defendant was supposed to be in court based on the earlier order of the court summoning him.
The prosecutor had asked the court to issue a bench warrant against Turaki.
The defense counsel responded that his client was not in court because there is a letter to the chief judge of FCT high court seeking a transfer of the case to another judge.
The defense counsel said a petition expressing doubt on confidence in the court has been submitted to the chief judge.
K.N. Ogbonnaya, the trial judge, said filing a petition to the chief judge cannot stop the continuation of a criminal proceeding unless a directive comes from the chief judge.
The case was later adjourned to March 5.
The Inspector-General of Police (IGP) filed a one-count charge against Turaki for allegedly providing false information to the police to the injury or annoyance of one Muhammed Mainasara in a petition dated October 2022.
The offence, according to police authorities, is punishable under Section 140 of the Penal Code Law.
The legal action occurs amid a long-running leadership struggle within the PDP, with Turaki leading a faction backed by governors like Seyi Makinde (Oyo) and Bala Mohammed (Bauchi), while a rival faction is aligned with FCT Minister Nyesom Wike.
Recent Court of Appeal rulings have nullified the November 2025 Ibadan convention that elected Turaki, barring his committee from parading themselves as national officers.
The court has adjourned the matter until April 22, 2026, for Turaki’s formal arraignment.
