Party members already gathered at the Lekan Salami Stadium, the venue of the 2025 PDP National Convention, on Saturday morning.
The atmosphere at Lekan Salami Stadium on Saturday morning is buzzing with activity as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) prepares for its national convention.
There are indications that the stadium and surrounding areas are bustling with activities as the planning committee has put measures in place to manage the large crowd expected at the event.
As of the time of filing this report, traffic is being redirected from the main gate to other access points to ensure smooth movement, while the Nigerian Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) is said to be coordinating with the government to organise taxi operators and motorcycle riders, providing unimpeded access for guests and delegates.
Security at the venue has been heavily fortified, with almost all law enforcement agencies present to maintain order during the convention.
Delegates have been arriving since Friday, and hotels across Ibadan are reportedly packed to capacity.
Activities also extended to the government house, where a series of meetings and planning sessions were held to ensure a successful convention.
The PDP national convention is drawing party leaders and delegates from across the country, even as controversy surrounds the event.
Since the national convention was announced, some members of the party loyal to the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, insisted that some issues, including the conduct of congresses, be resolved.
The development has led to the factionalisation of the party, with Ambassador Umar Damagum and Abdulrahman Muhammed heading the two factions of the party.
While the Damagum group insisted on the convention, the Abdulrahman camp canceled the convention following the judgment of the Abuja Federal High Court.
The PDP Board of Trustees (BoT) has, however, insisted on proceeding with the national convention, despite an order by Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja, stopping the Party from proceeding with its 2025 national convention scheduled for Ibadan, Oyo State.
After the Federal High Court’s judgment, the Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan on Friday, adjourned ruling on a preliminary objection challenging its jurisdiction in the suit filed by a member of the PDP, Folahan Adelabi, over the party’s national convention.
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 urged the court to strike out the case for lack of jurisdiction.
However, counsel to the claimant, Musibau Adetumbi, SAN, 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 asked 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). INEC is the fourth 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.
