The legal battle surrounding the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) national convention took a new turn after an Oyo State High Court gave the green light for the event to proceed as planned on November 15 in Ibadan.
The presiding judge, Justice A.L. Akintola, issued the directive while ruling on an ex parte motion filed by a party chieftain, Folahan Malomo Adelabi, who is contesting for the office of Deputy National Organising Secretary.
In his ruling, the judge ordered the PDP, its acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not to take any action that could obstruct, frustrate, or halt the convention preparations.
The case, marked Suit No. I/1336/2025, also directed the PDP leadership to ensure that all arrangements proceed without interference.
Justice Akintola further instructed INEC to deploy officials to monitor the exercise and ensure full compliance with Nigeria’s electoral regulations.
He emphasised that doing so would “guarantee transparency and safeguard the democratic integrity of the party’s internal processes.”
The court also reaffirmed that Governor Umaru Ahmadu Fintiri, who chairs the PDP National Convention Organising Committee (NCOC), should continue with all logistics and planning necessary for the convention’s success.
“The court’s position is clear, no party or individual should derail a lawful democratic process.
“The PDP must be allowed to carry out its internal electoral exercise in line with its constitution and national laws,” Justice Akintola stated in the ruling.
This Oyo court judgment comes just days after a Federal High Court in Abuja issued an order stopping the same convention, citing procedural concerns.
The conflicting rulings have sparked widespread discussions among party loyalists and legal analysts about jurisdiction and internal party autonomy.
A PDP source in Ibadan told newsmen that the ruling brought relief to members eager for leadership stability.
“This is a victory for democracy within our party. The court has shown that no one should hold the PDP hostage,” the source said.
With the latest development, preparations for the November 15 national convention are expected to intensify as the PDP seeks to reposition itself ahead of the upcoming national elections.
