The Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan and presided over by Justice A. L. Akintola, on Monday 3rd November 2025 cleared the ground for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to proceed with its Elective National Convention scheduled for November 15 and 16, 2025
The court, in Suit No. I/1336/2025, and filed by Folahan Malamo Adelabi, an aspirant for the position of Deputy National Organizing Secretary, ordered “the PDP, its servants, agents or officers not to truncate, frustrate, the guidelines, timetable and schedule of activities, or disrupt, prevent or stop the scheduled national convention”.
Justice Akintola also ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deploy monitors and observers to the convention in line with the Electoral Act and it’s duty as supervisor of political party activities.
This was after Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja, had last Friday, directed that PDP should not go ahead with the planned convention, except it followed it’s set out guidelines, especially by conducting congresses as required by its own internal regulations.
Justice Omotosho had also directed the electoral umpire not to send it’s observers to monitor the planned elective national championship mention fixed in Ibadan on November 15, except PDP conclusively satisfies that it had complied with its internal regulations.
However, the Ibadan High Court in its decision, directed Hon Umaru Ahmadu Fintiri, the Chairman of the National Convention Organizing Committee (NCOC), to proceed with all arrangements relating to the exercise without any hindrance.
The two judgments from courts of coordinate jurisdiction were made even as the rivalry between the National Chairman of the Party, Umar Damagun and 80 per cent of the National Working Committee of the party, struggle for the control of the party with the other group led by the National Secretary, Sen. Samuel Anyanwu; Deputy National Chairman (North), Alhaji Abdulrahman Mohammed and the National Legal Adviser, Barr. Kamaldeen Ajibade, who are said to be tacitly receiving the support of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.
With the two judgments, the nation’s judiciary is again on the public radder over its roles in the political dynamics in the country, which has spiralled bad governance and despondency among the generality of Nigerians.
