A High Court in Oyo State has granted an order to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to go ahead with its convention slated for November 15 and 16.

The ex-parte order was granted yesterday by Justice Ladiran Akintola. The judge fixed Monday for hearing of the motion on notice. Yesterday’s order has deepened the controversy over the opposition party’s convention.

On Friday, Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja in a judgment over a matter filed by Chairmen of PDP in three states, voided the convention in addition to restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising the outcome, should convention hold.

The case before the Oyo State High Court was filed by a party chieftain, Folahan Malomo Adelabi, who sued as the claimant/applicant in suit number I/1336/2025.

Also yesterday, the Northcentral caucus disowned the factional chairman, Alhaji Abdulrahaman Mohammed, supported by the Nyesom Wike/Samuel Anyanwu camp.

Factional National Chairman Iliya Damagum has written a letter to the INEC on the suspension of the National Secretary, Senator Anyanwu and three other members of the NWC.

The national chairman also forwarded a petition to the Inspector General of Police and FCT Police Commissioner complaining that Anyanwu and Wike mobilised thugs to invade the party’s national secretariat and illegally aided Muhammed to occupy the office of chairman.

Adelabi’s application:
In the application before the Ibadan court, Adelabi is seeking for an order to compel the party to adhere to its guidelines, timetable, and schedule of activities for the convention.

Defendants in the case are National Chairman Ambassador Umar Damagum (for himself and members of the National Working Committee (NWC) and National Executive Committee (NEC), Adamawa State Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri (for himself and members of the National Convention Organising Committee), and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Adelabi asked the court for an interim injunction “to restrain 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 and 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”.

The court also directed the PDP leadership to adhere strictly to the guidelines, timetable, and schedule of activities earlier released for the convention.

Also, the court ordered the party and its relevant committees to hold, conduct, and convene the elective national convention as planned, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.

The judge also directed INEC to attend, monitor, and observe the conduct of the convention in line with the Electoral Act.

Justice Akintola, who said the claimant had established a case warranting urgent judicial intervention, commended his transparency by filing a motion on notice for interlocutory injunction alongside the ex-parte application.

The certified true copy of the enrolment of order was signed by the Principal Registrar of the Oyo State High Court, Mrs. S. O. Hammed, and issued at Ibadan under the seal of the court on November 3.

Damagum writes INEC over Anyanwu’s suspension
Damagum, has written to the electoral commission on Anyanwu’s suspension by the NWC.

Apart from the National Secretary, those also listed as suspended officers in the letter of November 1, are the National Organising Secretary, Umar Bature, National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade, and his deputy, Okechukwu Osuoha.

Signatories to the letter titled: ‘Resolution of the National Working Committee (NWC) at its 608th Emergency Meeting held today, Saturday Ist November, 2025,’ are Damagum, Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja (Deputy National Chairman -South), Setonji Koshoedo (Deputy National Secretary), Yayari Ahmed (National Treasurer) and Dr. Woyengikuro Ambrose Daniel (National Financial Secretary).

It reads: “The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party

(PDP) at its 608th emergency meeting today, Saturday, 1st November, 2025, considered the continued anti-party activities of some National Officers despite the formal reprimand issued by the party.

“The NWC, pursuant to the provisions of Section 57(3), 58 (1)(a)(b)(c) and (h)and 59(1) of the Constitution of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) (As Amended in 2017) suspends the following National Officers from the Party-Senator Samuel Anyanwu (National Secretary), Hon. Umar Bature (National Organizing Secretary), Kamaldeen Ajibade (National Legal Adviser) and Barr. Okechukwu Osuoha (Deputy National Legal Adviser).

“The above-name National Officers are consequently suspended for a period

of one month and referred to the National Disciplinary Committee for further action. During the period of the suspension, the affected officers cease to function in their respective capacities.

“Pursuant to Section 36(2) of the PDP Constitution, the Deputy National

Secretary, Hon. Arc. Setonji Koshoedo shall forthwith act as the National Secretary while the National Director of Legal Services and National Director of Organization are hereby directed to oversee the activities of their respective Directorate.”

Ex-officio members back suspension
The Chairman and Secretary of PDP National Ex-Officio Forum, Clement Faboyede and Mrs. Hassan Comfort, who supported the suspension, condemned the “invasion “ of the party secretariat by Muhammad.

They said in a statement: “What transpired at Wadata Plaza was not just an attack on individuals, but an attempt to desecrate the sanctity of an institution built on decades of sacrifice, vision, and democratic commitment. “Those behind this inglorious plot have only succeeded in exposing their disdain for order and their contempt for the collective will of millions of PDP faithful nationwide.”

They commended Justice Akintola’s ruling affirming the legality of the proposed National Convention, describing the judgment as a triumph of justice over impunity, and a resounding victory for democracy, due process, and institutional integrity.

They said: “Justice Akintola’s verdict rekindles faith in the Nigerian judiciary as the true custodian of democratic stability and fairness. In moments when democracy is under siege by internal saboteurs, it is men of conscience like Justice Akintola, who remind us that the rule of law remains the last fortress of the people’s will.”

We support new acting chairman, say party youths
However, the PDP Youth Leaders Forum threw their weight behind the Wike/Anyanwu faction and pledged loyalty to the acting chairman.

The Chairman of the forum and Gombe State Youth Leader said leaders of the party should close ranks, sit down and resolve all matters threatening the platform.

He said: “We are happy to have this kind of person, most of all as a youth. We are giving him all our support to make sure he stabilizes the party, bring all the warring factions to the table and create a good working environment for the party to thrive.

“We are begging all our major stakeholders, all our leaders, to give the new Chairman the needed support. We beg that they should sheath their swords. Our interest should be first. Nigerians are waiting for us, and we ask everybody to support the new Chairman.”

The Secretary and Youth Leader of PDP in Cross River, Comrade Brian Odion, also urged the warring leaders to work for peace

Northcentral PDP reject acting chairman
The Northcentral PDP rejected the appointment of the acting chairman, saying that his emergence is not a product of consultation.

A communique read by the Zonal Secretary, Francis Orogu, at the end of its meeting in Abuja, pledged the loyalty of the zone to Damagum and the NWC.

It reads: “The PDP North Central Zonal Working/Executive Committee met today to review and monitor recent developments within our great party since last Friday 31st October, 2025 when it was engulfed in yet another avoidable political crisis. This crisis was triggered by the judgment delivered by Justice Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja Division.”

Chairman petitions IG, Police Commissioner
Damagun, in a petition dated November 3, 2025 accused the FCT Commissioner of Police of providing police cover for Anyanwu and his group to invade and threaten the peace of the secretariat.

He also said that the invasion enjoyed Wike’s support.The three letter reads: “This is to formally report to the Inspector General of Police the forceful takeover, threat to life, assault of staff and disruption of peaceful conduct of party affairs by the suspended National Sectary of the PDP, Senator Samuel Anyanwu with the assistance of the suspended Deputy National Legal Adviser, Okechukwu Osuoha, the National Vice Chairman (North Central) Mohammed Abdulrahman with the backing of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.

Fayose flays Ibadan court order
Former Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose dismissed the Ibadan court order on the convention, describing it as “Ibadan judicial and political hand-to-mouth-judge.”

He said: “The judge only granted an ineffective order that is dead on arrival. It is an order no one, including the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) can obey.”

Fayose said the most unintelligent human being in Nigeria would know that a State High Court cannot act as an Appellate Court over the Federal High Court.

He urged the National Judicial Council (NJC) to as a matter of urgency sanction Justice Akintola, who gave the exparte order, despite being aware of the October 31, 2025 judgment of Justice James Omotosho on the same matter.

Source; The Nation News