Court extends order allowing PDP convention to hold

An Oyo State High Court in Ibadan on Wednesday extended until Friday, 14 November, an interim order allowing the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to proceed with its national convention, scheduled for 15–16 November in Ibadan. Justice Ladiran Akintola of Court 5 said the interim order granted on an ex parte application would continue to subsist […]

An Oyo State High Court in Ibadan on Wednesday extended until Friday, 14 November, an interim order allowing the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to proceed with its national convention, scheduled for 15–16 November in Ibadan.

Justice Ladiran Akintola of Court 5 said the interim order granted on an ex parte application would continue to subsist pending the determination of the substantive suit. The judge adjourned the matter for resumed hearing on Friday.

The development comes barely 24 hours after a Federal High Court in Abuja issued an order directing the main opposition party to halt the convention. The ruling followed an ex-parte motion filed by former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido, who claimed he was denied the opportunity to purchase a nomination form for the party’s national chairmanship. The Abuja order came on the heels of an earlier judgment obtained by loyalists of FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, which had also halted the convention.

But in his ruling on Wednesday, Justice Akintola noted he had heard submissions from counsel to both parties before adjourning the case. He refused an application for joinder filed by another party on the grounds that the affidavit supporting it was unsigned. The judge said an unsigned affidavit could not be accepted.

Despite the legal back-and-forth, the PDP’s National Working Committee (NWC) and the 2025 National Convention Organising Committee (NCOC) said the convention will go ahead as planned.

In a statement, Hon. Debo Ologunagba, the party’s national publicity secretary and secretary of the NCOC’s publicity and communications sub-committee, said the convention had not been postponed. He urged members of the public to disregard “misleading claims” he attributed to individuals allegedly recruited by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to disrupt the event.

“We are aware of plots by the APC to destabilise the opposition and impose a one-party state in the country; a design that will be lawfully resisted,” the statement said. The NCOC thanked supporters arriving in Ibadan and appealed for calm as preparations continued.

 

‘Convention will determine Wike, Anyanwu, Fayose, Lamido’s fate’

Former national vice-chairman of the PDP, Chief Eddy Olafeso, told Daily Trust the convention would proceed and would determine the fate of party figures he accused of working against the PDP, naming FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, National Secretary Samuel Anyanwu, former Ekiti governor Ayo Fayose and former Jigawa governor Sule Lamido.

Olafeso criticised the Abuja ruling and said the party would pursue remedies at the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court if necessary.

He urged dissenting members to abide by the party constitution or leave, adding: “We are moving on with our convention. We have an answer to all their shenanigans and we’ll continue to fight on.”