Lere Olayinka, who serves as the Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media to Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, has refuted assertions that the Supreme Court invalidated the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) convention that took place in Abuja on March 29–30, 2026.
Media reports had circulated claiming that a Certified True Copy of the Supreme Court’s judgment in the PDP leadership dispute revealed that the Wike-aligned faction lost the battle for control of the party. It was further alleged that the apex court declared the Abuja convention unlawful and upheld the suspension of key figures within the Wike-backed faction, such as Senator Samuel Anyanwu and Kamaldeen Ajibade.
However, during an interview on Arise TV on Saturday night, Olayinka argued that the issue of suspension was never raised in either the Appeal Court or the Supreme Court. He stated, “The matter of the March 29 convention was not before the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court is not Father Christmas; it does not rule on issues not presented to it. If it wasn’t contested in court, the court won’t discuss it.”
Olayinka elaborated that what the Supreme Court considered originated from the Appeal Court. He noted, “They claim Sam Anyanwu was suspended by the Appeal Court, and the Supreme Court affirmed that suspension. But his name wasn’t mentioned in the Appeal Court judgment. How could it suddenly appear in the apex court? It didn’t.”
When directly asked if the Supreme Court nullified the March 29 convention, Olayinka firmly responded, “No, that is a lie.”