Court orders PDP, Damagum to conduct party’s national convention

A high court in Oyo has ordered the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Umar Damagum, the national chairman, to proceed with the party’s national convention on November 15 in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital. 

A.L. Akintola, the presiding judge, issued the order on Monday following an ex parte application filed by Folahan Malomo Adelabi.

The PDP, Damagum, Umar Fintiri, governor of the state, and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were listed as defendants in the suit filed on Monday.

Adelabi asked the court for an interim injunction restrained 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”.

“An Order of Interim Injunction directing the 1st — 3rd Defendants, their officers, servants and or agents to hold, conduct and or convene the said elective national convention of the Peoples Democratic Party Scheduled for the 15th and 16th of November, 2025 at Ibadan pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice,” the application reads.

“An Order of Interim Injunction compelling the defendants to hold, conduct and or convene the National Convention of the Peoples Democratic Party scheduled for the 15th and 16th November, 2025 at Ibadan to elect officers of the said Party at the National level pending the hearing and determination of Motion on Notice.

“An Order of Interim Injunction directing the 4th Defendant, its servants, agents, officers and or privies to attend, monitor and or observe the elective national convention of the 1″ Defendant scheduled for Ibadan, Oyo State on the 15th and 16th November, 2025 pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice. And for such order or further orders as the Honourable Court may deem fit to make in the circumstances.”

After A. E. Okelue, counsel to Adelabi, moved the ex-parte application, Akintola granted all the prayers.

“Accordingly, this court finds merit in the claimant/Applicant’s motion ex-parte,” the judge ruled.

“The same succeeds and it is hereby ordered as prayed on the claimant/applicant’s motion Ex-parte dated 3rd November, 2025 and filed on the same date in this case.

“For avoidance of doubt, the interim orders of injunction sought are hereby granted as prayed pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice for orders of interlocutory injunction already filed in this case.”

PREVIOUS JUDGMENT

The current judgment came days after a federal high court in Abuja stopped the PDP from conducting its planned national convention slated for November 15 and 16 in Ibadan.

James Omotosho, the presiding judge, ruled that the evidence before the court showed that the PDP failed to hold valid state congresses before the planned national convention as stipulated in the 1999 constitution, guidelines of INEC, as well as its own constitution.

Austine Nwachukwu, PDP chairman in Imo state; Amah Abraham Nnanna, Abia state chairman; and Turnah George, south-south secretary of the party, filed the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2120/2025.

The plaintiffs are believed to be allies of Nyesom Wike, minister of the federal capital territory (FCT).

The crisis battling the national leadership of the PDP began after the 2023 elections, and has heightened as factions have now emerged.

The PDP national working committee (NWC) recently suspended Samuel Anyanwu, the national secretary; and Kamaldeen Ajibade; the national legal adviser.

The party also suspended Okechukwu Osuoha, deputy legal adviser; and Umaru Bature, national organising secretary.

Subsequently, a faction of the PDP NWC led by Anyanwu suspended Damagum as the party’s chairman.

The faction also suspended Debo Ologunagba, the party’s spokesperson; Taofeek Arapaja, deputy national vice-chairman (south); Daniel Woyenguikoro, national financial secretary; Sulaiman Kadade, national youth leader; and Setonji Koshoedo, deputy national secretary.

The faction appointed Mohammed Abdulrahman, national vice-chairman (north-central), as the acting national chairman.