Court clears PDP to hold national convention as scheduled

• Orders INEC to attend, monitor

• Party meets today

From Godwin Tsa, Abuja and Lukman Olabiyi

The coast is now clear for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to conduct its elective national convention as the Oyo State High Court has ordered the party to go ahead with the convention as scheduled on Saturday, November 15 and Sunday, November 16, respectively in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

The presiding judge, Justice A L Akintola, in an interim order delivered on Monday, November 3 directed the PDP to conduct its national convention and elect new national officers as contained in its already approved guidelines, timetable and schedule of activities, pending the hearing and determination of a motion on notice before him.

The court also ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to attend, monitor and observe the convention as scheduled for Ibadan, Oyo State, on November 15 and 16, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.

The plaintiff, Mr. Folahan Malomo Adelabi, an aspirant for the position of Deputy National Organizing Secretary in Suit No 1/1336 /2025 prayed the Court to, among other things, order the PDP to conduct the elective national convention as scheduled, party having met the statutory requirements for the exercise.

The suit has the PDP, its national chairman, for himself and the members of the National Working Committee and National Executive Committee of the party, Umaru Ahmadu Fintiri, for himself and members of the PDP National Convention.

In his ruling, Justice Akintola said: “Having carefully considered the claimants/applicant’s motion ex-parte, together with the affidavit in support, as well as the written address of counsel, this court is satisfied that the claimant/applicant has successfully made a case for the urgent intervention of this court at this stage.

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“As a demonstration of sincerity and transparency, the claimant/applicant has also filed the motion on notice for orders of interlocutory injunctions in this case.

“Accordingly, this court finds merit in the claimant/ applicant’s motion ex-parte. The same succeeds and it is hereby ordered as prayed on the claimant/applicant’s motion ex-parte dated November 3 and filed on the same date in this case.

Further ruling, the court held that “for the 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 injunctions already filed in this case”

Consequently, the Court ordered the PDP National Working Committee, National Executive Committee and National Convention Organizing Committee to “honour the provision of the aforesaid guidelines, timetable and schedule of activities for the conduct of the PDP national convention pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.”

The Court also ordered INEC as fourth defendant, its servants, agents, officers and or privies to attend, monitor and or observe the elective national convention of the first defendant scheduled for Ibadan, Oyo State on November 15 and 16, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.

Already the PDP, its national convention organizing committee and INEC have been served.

The Court fixed the hearing of the motion on notice for Monday, November 10.