The Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan has cleared the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to proceed with its scheduled elective National Convention on November 15 and 16, 2025.
In a ruling delivered by Justice A. L. Akintola, the court granted an interim order allowing the party to hold the convention as planned in Ibadan, Oyo State.
The court also directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to attend, monitor, and observe the exercise pending the hearing and determination of the substantive motion on notice.
The ruling followed an ex parte application filed by Folahan Adelabi against the PDP, its Acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum; Governor Umaru Fintiri (representing the National Convention Organising Committee); and INEC.
Adelabi, the claimant, had urged the court to restrain the defendants from truncating, frustrating, or disrupting the timetable, guidelines, and schedule of activities leading to the convention.
After hearing the motion on Monday, Justice Akintola held that the claimant successfully demonstrated the need for urgent judicial intervention.
“The court finds merit in the claimant’s motion ex parte. The same succeeds and is hereby ordered as prayed,” the judge ruled.
He consequently granted the interim orders sought, restraining any interference with the PDP’s timetable and schedule of activities, and compelling the defendants to hold the national convention as fixed.
Justice Akintola further adjourned the hearing of the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction to November 10, 2025.
The court’s order, dated November 3, 2025, was issued under the seal of the Oyo State High Court and signed by the Principal Registrar, S. O. Hammed.
On Friday, Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja halted the planned 2025 National Convention of the PDP until the party complies with the statutory requirements of the party, the Constitution, and the Electoral Act.
Delivering judgement in a suit filed by three aggrieved members of the party, the judge also restrained the INEC from accepting a report on the outcome of any national convention of the party without following the due process of the law, as well as its guidelines and regulations.
But in a swift reaction, the opposition party rejected the court’s judgement. PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, said the action of the court does not invalidate the party’s ability to proceed with the processes and activities towards the National Convention to elect new national officers.
He described the judgement as an assault on Nigeria’s democratic processes, saying the party has directed its legal team to appeal the judgement.
On Monday, heavy security was deployed at the national headquarters of the PDP in Abuja as Abdulrahman Mohammed, the former Vice Chairman of the PDP North Central, resumed his role as the party’s acting national chairman.
Mohammed and his supporters gathered at the FCT office of the PDP, where he addressed the crowd, confirming that he would be taking over as acting national chairman.
Mohammed was declared acting national chairman by the Samuel Anyanwu-led National Working Committee (NWC) following the suspension of the party’s National Chairman, Umar Damagum, and National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba.
Supporters accompany Abdrahman Mohammed as he makes his way into the PDP secretariat in Abuja on Monday, November 3, 2025.
The crisis in the opposition party escalated over the weekend as the national chairman, Umar Damagum, along with some members of the National Working Committee (NWC), announced the suspension of the party’s National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu, National Organising Secretary Umar Bature, and other principal officers.
In a swift counter, Samuel Anyanwu led a separate faction of the NWC to suspend Damagun, National Publicity Secretary Debo Ologunagba, and four other principal officers of the party, deepening the ongoing leadership crisis within the PDP.
While Samuel Anyanwu-led acting national chairman Mohammed resumed at the PDP national headquarters on Monday, Damagum and members of the National Working Committee loyal to him were conspicuously absent.
