A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has ordered the arrest of a factional National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Kabiru Turaki (SAN), over his failure to appear for arraignment in a criminal case instituted against him by the Inspector-General of Police (IGP).

Justice Peter Kekemeke issued a bench warrant yesterday after Turaki, a former Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs, was absent in court despite being duly served with hearing notices.

The court held that there was no justifiable reason for his repeated non-appearance.

However, Turaki has confirmed appealing the bench warrant.

MEANWHILE, the Turaki-led National Working Committee (NWC) of PDP yesterday drew a firm line ahead of the 2027 election, saying it would not support President Tinubu, even as fresh efforts begin to reconcile feuding factions within the party.

At the centre of the talks is a defining question for the PDP’s future: can it hold together as a credible opposition party?

The message came during a live interview on Arise TV, where the factional National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Ini Ememobong, spoke for the Turaki-led camp, following earlier moves by Turaki, who is leading the reconciliation process.

“It is improper, unjust, and fundamentally unfair for an opposition party like the PDP to endorse the presidential candidate of another party. Absolutely no. It will never be so,” Ememobong said.

The fresh reconciliation process is aimed at bringing aggrieved members back to the table and resolving the party’s prolonged leadership crisis.

Turaki is facing a charge marked FCT/HC/CR/647/25, filed by the Inspector-General of Police, accusing him of providing false information in a petition dated October 5, 2022. The alleged offence is said to contravene Section 140 of the Penal Code.

Prosecuting counsel, Usman Rabiu, had urged the court to invoke Section 143 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015 to compel the defendant’s attendance, citing his consistent absence from proceedings.

The case, which was initially before Justice K.N. Ogbonnaya, was reassigned to Justice Kekemeke after Turaki petitioned the Chief Judge, alleging a lack of confidence in the handling of the matter. Justice Ogbonnaya had declined to issue a warrant before the transfer.

At the resumed hearing, Kekemeke expressed dissatisfaction with the defendant’s conduct and subsequently ordered law enforcement agencies to arrest and produce him in court for arraignment.

In the charge, the police alleged that Turaki provided false information to them in a petition he lodged in 2022.

The charge, filed on November 15, 2025, reads: “That you, Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, (SAN), ‘m’, No. 37 T.Y. Danjuma Street, Asokoro, Abuja, on or about October 5, 2022, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, gave false information to the Inspector-General of Police via a petition dated October 5, 2022.”

Police prosecutor, Usman Rabiu, had earlier prayed the court to activate Section 143 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015 and order Turaki’s arrest for repeatedly failing to appear.

TURAKI, who served as Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs between 2013 and 2015, explained through his Principal Private Secretary, Ibrahim Abdullahi, that his absence was due to a sudden hospital visit. He noted that his lawyers had also filed an application to quash the charge, which ordinarily would not require his physical presence.

“The warrant was granted because of his absence in court today when the case was called. The petition was written in 2022, and due to his sudden hospital visitation, he was unable to attend. Additionally, his lawyers had filed an application seeking to quash the charge, which ordinarily would not require his presence,” the statement said.

Turaki’s legal team has immediately filed an appeal alongside an application for a stay of execution against the bench warrant. He maintained that the matter is unrelated to the PDP but hinted at possible external political influence.

“While it needs emphasising that this matter is completely unrelated to the PDP, external political influence cannot be completely ruled out,” the statement added.