IBADAN– A state high court in southwestern Nigeria has upheld the validity of a major opposition party convention that had been clouded by conflicting court orders, clearing the way for a newly elected leadership to assume control.
Justice Ladiran Akintola of the Oyo State High Court ruled Friday that the national convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), held November 15–16, 2025, in Ibadan, was properly convened and legally binding.
In a certified copy of the judgment reviewed by local media, the court found that the party met the necessary conditions to organize its convention “whether or not” Nigeria’s electoral commission monitored the process. The judge resolved all nine legal questions raised in the case in favor of the claimant, Folahan Malomo Adelabi.
The defendants named in the suit were the PDP itself; its acting national chairman, Umar Damagum; and Adamawa State Governor Umar Fintiri who recently decamp to APC .
Read related News from New Daily Prime:
Adamawa Gov abandons PDP to join APC after months of secret talks
Appeal Court to hear suits challenging PDP’s Ibadan Convention Thursday
Adelabi had sought an injunction to prevent party leaders from disrupting the convention and asked the court to compel them to follow the party’s published guidelines and timetable for electing national officers.
The ruling marks the latest turn in a legal standoff that had threatened to fracture Nigeria’s main opposition force ahead of future elections.
Conflicting Court Orders
The convention was preceded by a series of contradictory judicial decisions.
On October 31, 2025, a federal high court in Abuja halted the PDP’s plans to proceed with the gathering. On November 11, another federal judge issued a similar restraining order.
Yet on November 4, the Oyo State High Court directed the party to move forward with the event. Despite the legal uncertainty, the convention went ahead in Ibadan, a political hub in Nigeria’s southwest.
During the gathering, 20 members of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) were elected. Among them was Tanimu Turaki, a senior lawyer, who emerged as national chairman. Other key posts, including deputy national chairmen for the north and south and national secretary, were also filled.
The Turaki-led NWC welcomed Friday’s judgment, calling it a victory for internal democracy and party unity.
In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, the leadership said the court’s decision affirmed that the convention was “properly conducted” and binding on relevant authorities, including the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The court’s declaration directs that the outcomes of the convention be recognized and given full effect.
For Nigeria’s PDP, which governed Africa’s most populous country from 1999 to 2015 before losing power to the ruling All Progressives Congress, the decision provides legal clarity at a critical time.
Analysts say the judgment could help stabilize the party after months of internal disputes and courtroom battles. It also underscores the growing role of state courts in resolving high-stakes political conflicts in Nigeria’s complex federal system.
While appeals remain possible, Friday’s ruling strengthens the position of the newly elected leadership and may reduce uncertainty within the party’s ranks.
For now, the PDP’s November convention stands affirmed — a pivotal moment in the opposition’s effort to regroup and redefine its path forward.
