An Oyo State High Court 5 sitting in Ibadan, presided over by Justice Ladiran Akintola has directed the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) to go ahead with its national convention scheduled for November 15-16, 2025, in Ibadan.
The court granted the order following an ex-parte application filed by PDP chieftain, Folahan Malomo Adelabi, who sued as the claimant/applicant in suit number I/1336/2025.
Adelabi’s application sought to ensure the party adheres to its guidelines, timetable, and schedule of activities for the convention.
The PDP, its Acting National Chairman, Ambassador Umar Iliya Damagum (for himself and members of the party’s National Working Committee and National Executive Committee), the Governor of Adamawa State, Rt. Hon. Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri (for himself and members of the National Convention Organising Committee), and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) are the defendants in the case.
Adelabi asked the court for an interim injunction to restrain the defendants from “truncating, frustrating, the Guidelines, Timetable and Schedule of Activity and/or disrupting, preventing and or stopping the conduct of the Scheduled National Convention of the Peoples Democractic Party (PDP) fixed for the 15th and 16th November, 2025 at Ibadan to elect officers of the said party at national pending the hearing and determination of motion on notice”.
The applicant also sought an order directing PDP, Damagum, Fintiri to “adhere to and honour the provisions of the aforesaid Guidelines, timetable and Schedule of Activities for the conduct of the National Convention pending the hearing and determination of motion on notice”.
The court also directed the PDP leadership to adhere strictly to the guidelines, timetable, and schedule of activities earlier released for the convention.
Furthermore, the court ordered the party and its relevant committees to hold, conduct, and convene the elective national convention as planned in Ibadan, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.
The Judge also directed INEC to attend, monitor, and observe the conduct of the convention in line with the Electoral Act.
Justice Akintola stated that the claimant had established a case warranting urgent judicial intervention and commended the claimant’s demonstration of transparency by filing a motion on notice for interlocutory injunction alongside the ex parte application.
The matter has been adjourned till November 10, 2025, for the hearing of the motion on notice.
The certified true copy of the enrolment of order was signed by the Principal Registrar of the Oyo State High Court, Mrs. S. O. Hammed, and issued at Ibadan under the seal of the court on November 3, 2025.
This ruling paves the way for the PDP to hold its national convention as planned, despite internal disputes and conflicting court orders.
The convention aims to elect new national officers and resolve key zoning and internal issues ahead of the 2027 general elections.
