Court nullifies PDP national convention held in Ibadan

The Federal High Court sitting in Ibadan, Oyo State, has nullified the national convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) held in the state on November 15, 2025.

In a ruling delivered on Friday, the presiding judge, Justice Uche Agomoh, declared the convention invalid and barred the national officers elected at the event from presenting themselves as the legitimate leadership of the party.

Agomoh ruled that the November national convention was organised in flagrant disregard for the court orders.

The judge ruled that PDP cannot disobey court orders and still approach the court to seek judicial approval for actions taken against the orders.

The judge held that the PDP can only operate through the caretaker committee until a proper and lawful national convention is held.

A faction of the PDP national working committee (NWC) led by Kabiru Turaki, national chairman, filed a suit seeking the recognition of the national convention and validating the NWC members elected during the convention.

In November 2025, the faction organised its national convention in Ibadan, Oyo state capital.

During the convention, 20 NWC members were elected, including Turaki (national chairman), Hamza Akuyan Koshe (deputy national chairman —north), Daniel Ambrose Woye (deputy national chairman —south), and Arapaja Taofeek Gbola-Oladejo (national secretary).

Some days before the convention, conflicting court orders were issued pertaining to the national convention.

On October 31, 2025, the federal high court in Abuja stopped the PDP from going ahead with the convention.

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

On November 4, 2025, the Oyo high court ordered PDP and Umar Damagum, the former national chairman, to proceed with the party’s national convention fixed for November 15 in Ibadan.

On November 11, 2025, Peter Lifu, a judge at the federal high court in Abuja, restrained the PDP from holding the national convention

The PDP faction loyal to Nyesom Wike, minister of the federal capital territory (FCT), did not participate in the national convention.