Court Nullifies PDP’s Ibadan National Convention

A Federal High Court sitting in Ibadan, Oyo State, has nullified the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Convention held in the city between November 15 and 16, 2025.

The court also ruled that the Caretaker Committee led by Mohammed Abdulrahman and Senator Samuel Anyanwu remained the only recognised National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP, pending the conduct of a valid national convention.

Recall that the Kabiru Turaki faction of the PDP had filed Suit Number FHC/IB/CS/121/2025, seeking recognition of the convention held in Ibadan, Oyo State, on November 15, 2025, and validation of the NWC that emerged at the convention

In a judgement on Friday by Justice Uche Agomoh, the court also barred Turaki and other officials purportedly elected at the convention from parading themselves as national officers of the party forthwith.

The court held that the Convention was conducted in flagrant disobedience to two subsisting judgments of the same court, adding that returning to seek judicial approval for actions taken in defiance of court orders was an exercise in futility.

Consequently, all decisions taken at the convention were set aside by the court.

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

Reacting to the judgement, counsel to the PDP Caretaker Committee, Chief Ferdinand Oshioke Orbih, SAN, described the ruling as a boost for Nigeria’s democracy.

According to him, the claimants had sought judicial endorsement of what he described as an illegal convention, but the court firmly rejected the move.

He said the judgment affirmed that the rule of law must prevail over political expediency, stressing that all actions and structures arising from the convention had been completely nullified.

Orbih added that the court’s decision underscored the inevitability of the caretaker committee taking charge of the party’s affairs until a valid convention is conducted in line with the law.

He noted that the ruling sends a strong message to political actors on the importance of obeying court judgments, warning that disregard for the rule of law could lead to chaos.

The judgement followed a protracted crisis within the PDP, which held a contentious national elective convention in Ibadan in November 2025 despite existing court orders.

Earlier, a Federal High Court in Abuja, presided over by Justice Peter Lifu, had ordered the suspension of the PDP convention in a suit filed by former Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido.

Lamido had challenged the process, alleging that he was denied the opportunity to purchase a nomination form to contest for the party’s chairmanship, in violation of the PDP constitution and guidelines.