In a dramatic legal twist, an Oyo State High Court has approved the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s national convention scheduled for November 15–16 in Ibadan, defying a prior Federal High Court ruling in Abuja that sought to halt the event.

Justice A.L. Akintola issued the ex parte order on Monday in suit I/1336/2025, filed by Folahan Adelabi against the PDP leadership and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), directing INEC to monitor the convention and barring any disruptions.

Akintola praised the plaintiff’s transparency in filing both ex parte and notice applications, deeming the motion “meritorious.” The certified order, signed by Principal Registrar S.O. Hammed, mandates strict adherence to PDP guidelines and the Electoral Act, with INEC oversight.

However, this ruling directly contradicts Justice James Omotosho’s October 31 decision in Abuja (FHC/ABJ/CS/2120/2025), which restrained INEC from recognizing any convention outcomes until the PDP complies with its constitution, the 1999 Constitution, and the Electoral Act—including the required 21-day notice to INEC.

The conflicting judgments have intensified internal strife within the PDP. On Monday, the faction aligned with Nyesom Wike seized the party’s national headquarters, installing Muhammed Abdulrahman as acting chairman after suspending Umar Damagum. In retaliation, Damagum suspended Samuel Anyanwu and four others. Former Governor Ayodele Fayose dismissed the Oyo ruling as a “dead-on-arrival ex parte farce” and called for National Judicial Council sanctions against Justice Akintola, arguing it cannot override a federal court’s decision.

The convention, intended to elect new party executives amid deepening factional divides, now hangs in uncertainty. INEC has yet to issue a formal statement, leaving the PDP’s path forward clouded by legal and political tension.