Supreme Court Voids PDP Ibadan Convention

The Supreme Court has nullified the national convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) held in Ibadan, Oyo State, in November 2025, dealing a fresh blow to the party’s troubled internal affairs.

In a split judgment delivered on Thursday, a majority of the five-member panel held that the exercise was conducted in violation of a subsisting court order, rendering its outcome invalid.

Reading the lead judgment, Justice Stephen Adah ruled that the appeal brought by a faction of the party lacked merit, noting that those behind the convention proceeded despite clear judicial restraint.

The disputed convention, held between November 15 and 16, 2025, had been organised amid lingering leadership tussles within the party, with rival groups laying claim to its structure and direction.

The apex court held that the organisers acted in defiance of an earlier order of the Federal High Court which barred the conduct of the convention pending the determination of the suit before it.

Legal analysts say the ruling effectively invalidates decisions taken at the gathering, further complicating the PDP’s internal reorganisation efforts ahead of future elections.

The crisis within the party has festered for months, with divisions among key stakeholders over leadership positions and control of party structures. The Ibadan convention itself was seen as an attempt by one faction to consolidate authority, a move strongly contested by opposing blocs.

The internal wrangling dates back to post-election disagreements and has been marked by parallel meetings, court cases and conflicting claims of legitimacy among party leaders.

With the Supreme Court’s decision, attention is now expected to shift to how the party will resolve its internal disputes and chart a path forward amid mounting political pressure.