PDP Factional Chair Turaki Arraigned, Granted N100m Bail in Police Petition Case
Tanimu Turaki, a former Minister of Special Duties and factional national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has been arraigned before a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory sitting in Maitama, Abuja, over allegations of providing false information to law enforcement authorities.
Turaki, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), was docked on Wednesday following a petition he allegedly authored on October 5, 2022. In the petition, he was said to have accused one Sa’idu Mainasara of wrongdoing, with prosecutors arguing that the intent was to instigate police action against the individual under false pretences.
The case, instituted by the office of the Inspector-General of Police, centers on claims that the former minister knowingly supplied misleading information, an offence punishable under relevant provisions of Nigeria’s criminal laws relating to false reporting and abuse of legal processes.
Upon the reading of the charge in open court, Turaki pleaded not guilty, setting the stage for a legal contest between his defence team and the prosecution.
Presiding over the matter, the trial judge granted the defendant bail in the sum of N100 million, with conditions expected to include credible sureties and other standard requirements to his appearance throughout the proceedings. The court subsequently adjourned the case to a later date for commencement of trial.
Turaki, who has remained a notable figure within the PDP’s internal leadership tussles, has been linked to one of the factions contesting control of the opposition party. His arraignment adds a legal dimension to the ongoing political disputes within the party, which have in recent months produced parallel leadership claims and litigations across various courts.
Legal analysts note that the case could test the boundaries between political disputes and criminal liability, particularly in instances where petitions to security agencies are alleged to contain false or malicious claims.
The matter is expected to resume in the coming weeks as both parties prepare to present their arguments before the court.
