The Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has formally distanced itself from a report issued by a party reconciliation committee and reaffirmed its commitment to holding the 2025 national convention as planned in Ibadan, Oyo State.
The reconciliation committee, chaired by Ambassador Hassan Adamu, was inaugurated on November 5, 2025 to address ongoing internal disputes within the party.
On Thursday, the committee presented its findings in Abuja, recommending the creation of an all-inclusive caretaker committee to resolve party crises and ensure a convention acceptable to all members.
The committee cited multiple court orders and judgments, noting that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was unlikely to monitor the convention, and warned that proceeding with a convention amid legal uncertainty could weaken the party’s ability to field candidates nationally. It also recommended lifting suspension orders and fostering reconciliation among factions.
However, in a statement released Friday, PDP BoT Chairman Sen. Adolphus Wabara rejected the committee’s conclusions, stressing that the report does not reflect the BoT’s official position.
The board reiterated its decision to go ahead with the convention on Saturday, 15th to Sunday, 16th November, 2025, emphasizing that the Supreme Court has reaffirmed the supremacy of political parties in managing their internal affairs.
“The BoT categorically dissociates itself from the purported report and affirms that an elective National Convention will proceed as scheduled. The idea of a Caretaker Committee is rejected,” the statement read. “We urge all party members to remain committed to the success of the convention.”
Meanwhile, legal proceedings continue at the state level. Following the Federal High Court’s ruling halting the convention, the Oyo State High Court in Ibadan on Friday adjourned a ruling on a preliminary objection challenging its jurisdiction, filed by PDP member Folahan Adelabi.
During the hearing, INEC’s counsel, O. Adeyemi, argued that as a federal agency, INEC falls under the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court and urged the court to strike out the suit.
Opposing this, claimant’s counsel Musibau Adetumbi, SAN, contended that the objection infringed on Adelabi’s constitutional right to lawful assembly, citing Section 251 of the 1999 Constitution.
The court, presided over by Justice Ladiran Akintola, adjourned the ruling to December 8, 2025, while reaffirming an interim order restraining any interference with preparations for the PDP national convention.
The defendants in the suit include the PDP, acting National Chairman Umar Damagun, Adamawa State Governor Ahmadu Fintiri, who chairs the convention organising committee, and INEC.
The ruling ensures that preparations for the PDP convention continue despite ongoing legal challenges.
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