…adjourns case for further hearing till 26 January
Justice Ladiran Akintola of the Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan has struck out the name of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from a suit challenging the eligibility and conduct of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) elective convention held in Ibadan.
At the previous sitting, counsel to INEC, Mr. O. Adeyemi, argued that the court lacked jurisdiction to hear the matter.
He maintained that since INEC is an agency of the Federal Government, it can only be sued before the Federal High Court and not a State High Court.
Based on this argument, INEC prayed the court to strike out its name from the suit.
In his ruling, Justice Akintola upheld the argument and struck out INEC as a defendant, noting that the commission is a federal agency not subject to the jurisdiction of the State High Court. However, he retained the names of the other defendants, including the acting chairman of the party, Damagun.
The judge subsequently adjourned the case to January 26, 2026, for further hearing.
Speaking in a sideline interview with Nigerian Tribune, counsel to the claimant, Musbau Adetunmbi (SAN), said INEC had been excused from the matter after raising a jurisdictional objection.
He added that the court still has jurisdiction over the remaining three defendants, which include the PDP, a PDP member, Folahan Malomo, and the chairman of the PDP zonal committee, Governor Ahmadu Fintiri.
Also speaking, the legal adviser to the PDP in Oyo State, Dapo Durosharan, noted that although INEC was struck out of the case, proceedings involving the remaining defendants will continue on the adjourned date.
Durosharan added that the party’s legal team will take an informed decision on the next steps to be taken.
Nigerian Tribune