LEKAN Salami Stadium in Ibadan transformed into a hive of political activity on Saturday as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) commenced final preparations for its highly anticipated national convention, despite ongoing legal and internal party battles threatening to overshadow the event.
News Point Nigeria reports that as early as 7am, the stadium and surrounding areas were buzzing with delegates, security personnel, transport workers and support teams putting finishing touches to logistics for what is expected to be one of the party’s most consequential conventions in recent years.
According to News Point Nigeria correspondent, Bukola Oriowo, a massive crowd had already begun trooping into Adamasingba, with the planning committee deploying multiple layers of organisation to manage the influx.
Traffic around the main gate was diverted to alternative routes to ease congestion, while the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) worked closely with state authorities to coordinate taxi operators and motorcycle riders to ensure smooth entry for guests and delegates.
Security presence around the stadium was visibly heavy. Personnel from nearly all major law enforcement agencies including the police, NSCDC, DSS and Amotekun were stationed at different points to maintain order and forestall any disruptions linked to the ongoing crisis within the party.
Delegates began arriving since Friday, filling hotels across Ibadan, with many accommodation facilities reportedly fully booked. Several sessions and consultations also took place at the Oyo State Government House, where party leaders met deep into the night to iron out final plans ahead of the convention.
The event has drawn leaders, chieftains and stakeholders from across Nigeria, underscoring its significance amid fierce internal contestation over the party’s direction, leadership and unity.
The PDP remains sharply divided between two major factions, one led by Acting National Chairman Ambassador Umar Damagum, and another led by Abdulrahman Muhammed, both of whom have issued conflicting directives regarding the Ibadan convention.
Supporters of Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, had earlier demanded that unresolved issues around party congresses must be settled before any convention could hold. Their objections have fueled the factionalisation that culminated in separate leadership claims.
While the Damagum-led group insisted the convention must proceed, the Abdulrahman faction announced its cancellation, citing a ruling by a Federal High Court in Abuja.
The PDP Board of Trustees (BoT), however, has backed the convention, brushing aside the Abuja court’s injunction and insisting that the party cannot be held hostage by internal rifts.
Complicating matters further is an ongoing legal battle over which court has jurisdiction to entertain suits relating to the convention.
Following the Federal High Court judgment halting the event, the Oyo State High Court on Friday adjourned ruling on a preliminary objection filed in another suit instituted by a party member, Folahan Adelabi, challenging the legality of actions surrounding the convention.
INEC’s counsel, O. Adeyemi, argued that as a federal body, INEC could only be sued at the Federal High Court, urging the Ibadan court to strike out the case for lack of jurisdiction.
But Adelabi’s counsel, Musibau Adetumbi (SAN), countered that the objection violated his client’s rights to freedom of assembly and lawful convention, adding that Section 251 of the Constitution did not place INEC exclusively before the Federal High Court in this instance.
After hearing both sides, Justice Ladiran Akintola adjourned ruling to December 8, 2025, while affirming that the interim injunction previously granted restraining interference with preparations for the convention remains in force.
The defendants in the matter include the PDP, Acting National Chairman Umar Damagum, Adamawa State Governor and Chairman of the Convention Organising Committee Ahmadu Fintiri, and INEC.
The court had earlier extended its interim order to ensure that preparations for the event proceed uninterrupted.
With massive crowds converging in Ibadan, hectic security arrangements underway, and multiple court orders hanging over the proceedings, the PDP finds itself at a historical crossroads.
Whether the convention resolves internal disputes or deepens existing rifts remains to be seen.