Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan has adjourned ruling on a preliminary objection challenging its jurisdiction in a suit filed by a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, over the party’s national convention.
The convention had been scheduled for Saturday, 15 November, and Sunday, November 16, 2025 in Ibadan.
The suit was filed by a member of the PDP, Mr Folahan Adelabi.
At the hearing on Friday, counsel for the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, O. Adeyemi, argued that INEC, being a Federal Government agency, was only subject to the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court.
He asked the court to strike out the case for lack of jurisdiction.
However, counsel to the claimant, Musibau Adetumbi, opposed the objection, stating that the argument infringed on the claimant’s fundamental rights.
He said the 1999 Constitution guaranteed the right to lawful assembly and convention.
Quoting Section 251 of the Constitution, Adetumbi contended that INEC did not fall within the category of agencies that place the case exclusively before the Federal High Court.
He urged the court to dismiss the objection and proceed with the substantive suit.
After listening to both sides, the presiding judge, Justice Ladiran Akintola, adjourned the ruling to December 8, 2025.
He also reaffirmed that the interim order earlier granted, which restrained the defendants from disrupting or interfering with preparations for the PDP national convention, remained in force.
The defendants in the suit are the PDP (first defendant), its acting National Chairman, Umar Damagun (second defendant), and the Adamawa State Governor, Ahmadu Fintiri, who chairs the PDP Convention Organising Committee (third defendant).
Recall that the same court had extended its interim order restraining any interference with the planned convention until further hearing, ensuring that the event proceeds as scheduled.
The adjournment came as Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja issued a final order stopping the PDP from proceeding with the convention.
Delivering judgment in a suit filed by former Jigawa State governor, Sule Lamido, Justice Lifu barred the PDP from proceeding with the convention until it complies with its constitution and guidelines on the convention.
He also ordered that the convention must be put on hold until Lamido is allowed to purchase a nomination form for the office of the national chairman.
The controversy over the planned convention to elect national officers of the PDP has further deepened the crisis in the party.
