Tension Rises as PDP Delegates Arrive Ibadan for Controversial National Convention Amid Saraki’s Call for Suspension
Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, has become the centre of intense political activity as delegatesTension Rises as PDP Delegates Arrive Ibadan for Controversial National Convention Amid Saraki’s Call for Suspension of the Peoples Democratic Party begin arriving for the party’s much-anticipated national convention, despite deepening internal wrangling and conflicting court orders threatening the exercise.
Scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, the convention has been described as one of the most contentious in the PDP’s history, following a factional withdrawal and escalating legal disputes. In the lead-up to the event, the National Working Committee led by Acting National Chairman Umar Damagum suspended three top officers — National Secretary Senator Samuel Anyanwu, National Organising Secretary Umar Bature, and National Legal Adviser Kamaldeen Ajibade — for alleged anti-party activities.
The tensions worsened after Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, halted the convention on the grounds that the party failed to comply with its own procedures, particularly regarding the signing of the notice to INEC by designated officials. His ruling also barred INEC from monitoring the exercise.
The Damagum-led NWC, however, secured reprieve when Justice Ladiran Akintola granted an ex parte order directing the party to proceed with the convention. Earlier in the week, another ruling by Justice Peter Lifu, in a suit filed by former Jigawa governor Sule Lamido, had again suspended the convention after Lamido claimed he was denied a nomination form to contest for National Chairman.
Justice Akintola later extended his order, reaffirming that the convention could go on.
By Thursday morning, the Lekan Salami Stadium in Ibadan — the venue of the event — was wearing a transformed look with decorations and construction still ongoing. Over 3,000 delegates from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory are expected, along with party leaders, stakeholders, diplomatic observers, and representatives from security agencies.
The convention will elect new national officers, including a National Chairman, National Secretary, and other key members of the NWC.
The Deputy Governor of Oyo State, Bayo Lawal, inspected preparations on Thursday, while the Secretary of the Venue Sub-Committee, Olajide Stanley, said the setup was already 60 percent complete. He noted that heavy traffic on the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway was the major logistical hurdle as thousands of attendees and equipment trucks moved into the city.
Party leaders confirmed that delegates had already begun arriving. National Vice Chairman (South-West), Kamorudeen Ajisafe, said delegates from at least 24 states were in Ibadan — surpassing the constitutional requirement of two-thirds for a valid convention. He stressed that only a ruling from a higher court could nullify the event, given the conflicting judgments.
On INEC’s participation, Ajisafe insisted that the party had fulfilled all legal obligations, including the mandatory 21-day notice under the Electoral Act. However, an INEC official revealed that its legal team was still evaluating the court orders and that a decision on whether to attend or boycott would be taken before the convention begins.
Meanwhile, former Senate President Dr Bukola Saraki has urged the PDP leadership to suspend the exercise entirely. Hosting the PDP Board of Trustees Reconciliation Team in Abuja, Saraki warned that going ahead with the convention amid legal battles and political tension would only deepen the crisis within the party.
In a statement shared on his verified X handle, Saraki said the convention had been engulfed by “extensive political and legal controversy” despite the efforts of party leaders. He maintained that political conflicts should be resolved through dialogue, not through contradictory court rulings that cast doubt on the legitimacy of the exercise.
