Court of Appeal advises negotiation, postpones PDP convention lawsuit indefinitely

The Court of Appeal in Ibadan has given all parties involved in the dispute over the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) elective convention the go-ahead to pursue an out-of-court settlement, and has adjourned the case indefinitely, taking into account the timetable for the 2027 general elections released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

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A three-member panel of the Court of Appeal, led by Justice Biobele Georgewill, granted the parties leave to explore a settlement on Wednesday, and also adjourned the matter sine die to allow for discussions aimed at resolving the dispute.

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Justice Georgewill urged the parties to be mindful of the INEC timetable for the 2027 general elections, and advised the lawyers to work towards a peaceful resolution of the matter in the interest of the party.

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The court granted leave for settlement in the case and adjourned it sine die, giving all parties the opportunity to meet and resolve the case pending before the appellate court peacefully.

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Justice Georgewill instructed the parties to inform the court in writing of the decision reached, whether they agreed or disagreed on the terms of settlement, and also adjourned all pending motions on notice sine die.

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Counsel representing the various parties aligned with the court's position on the matter, with Sunday Ibrahim, SAN, stating that the parties had expressed willingness to pursue a settlement, leading to the court's decision to adjourn the case sine die.

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Sunday Ibrahim, speaking on behalf of other counsel, said the parties would discuss the INEC timetable and other issues during their meetings on settlement, but made no further comment to avoid prejudicing the envisioned settlement.

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Musibau Adetunmbi stated that the court had adjourned all cases relating to the PDP elective convention sine die, including the various motions pending before the appellate court.

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The Court of Appeal's decision comes after an earlier ruling by the Court of Appeal in Abuja, which invalidated the party's elective convention held in Ibadan, and upheld the decision of the party's disciplinary committee against some of its members.

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In a separate development, Justice Ladiran Akintola of the Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan had earlier ruled in favour of the party's convention held in Ibadan, declaring it valid, in a case instituted by Folahan Malomo Adelabi through his counsel, Musibau Adetunmbi, SAN.