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An Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan has affirmed the validity of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) national convention held in the Oyo State capital in November 2025, which produced Kabiru Tanimu Turaki as the party’s substantive national chairman.

Delivering judgement on Friday, Justice Ladiran Akintola upheld the amended originating summons filed by Musibau Adetunmbi (SAN) on behalf of the claimant, Folahan Malomo Adelabi.

The court granted all 13 reliefs sought, holding that the convention complied with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution, the Electoral Act 2022 (as amended), and other relevant electoral laws.

Justice Akintola also dismissed motions seeking a stay of proceedings and suspension of the judgment filed by Sunday Ibrahim (SAN) on behalf of Austin Nwachukwu and two others.

The court had earlier rejected their application for joinder, describing it as lacking merit.

In addition, the ruling directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise and give full effect to the outcomes of the convention, including the leadership of the National Working Committee (NWC) led by Turaki.

READ ALSO: 2027: INEC Commissioner Defends Timetable, Says Party Digital Membership Deadline Feasible

The decision is the latest development in a protracted legal tussle over the PDP’s leadership following the November 15, 2025, elective convention in Ibadan.

On January 30, 2026, the Federal High Court, Ibadan, presided over by Justice Uche Agomoh, nullified the convention, ruling that it was conducted in defiance of existing court orders.

That judgment barred Turaki and other officers from parading themselves as national officials of the party.

The conflicting rulings have deepened uncertainty within the opposition party’s hierarchy.

Despite the latest validation by the Oyo State High Court, the PDP remains divided between the Turaki-led leadership and a different bloc aligned with Nyesom Wike, minister of the Federal Capital Territory, which has reportedly dismissed the judgement as inconsequential.

The Commissioner of Police in Plateau State, Bassey Ewah, has confirmed that five persons were killed in a late-night attack in the Bassa Local Government Area, describing the incident as tragic and assuring residents that security operatives are pursuing the perpetrators.

Ewah said the attack occurred on Thursday night when gunmen stormed a residential area in Miango.

He noted that police operatives responded promptly after receiving a distress call.

“Our men responded swiftly to the distress call and have since been deployed to the area. We are currently on the trail of the attackers and will not relent until they are arrested and brought to justice,” the commissioner said.

Ewah urged residents to remain calm but vigilant, stressing the need for public cooperation with security agencies.

“We appeal to members of the public to be vigilant at all times and promptly report any suspicious movement or activity to the police or other security agencies,” he added.

READ ALSO: Court Sentences ‘Akwa Okuku’ To Cumulative 24 Months’ Jail

Further details were provided by the Irigwe Development Association, which said the victims, all members of the same family, were attacked near ECWA Church in Tudun Wada at about 9:30 p.m. on Thursday, February 26, 2026.

The deceased were identified as Nancy Monday, Nuhu Isaiah, Henry Dah, Zongo Sunday, and Tarma Monday.

The association said the incident came barely four days after the killing of Abbas Musa, an Irigwe native who was shot dead at about 9 p.m. on Monday, February 23, 2026, inside his residence.

In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Sam Jugo, the IDA expressed concern over what it described as persistent attacks on Irigwe communities.

“Angry natives have continued to question why perpetrators of these heinous acts are never caught by security agents domiciled in the vicinity,” the statement said.

While condemning the killings, the association urged residents to remain law-abiding.

“The leadership of IDA appeals to natives to resist the drive to take laws into their hands by remaining law-abiding in the midst of unprovoked assaults on our people and land,” it added.

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has rejected the revised election timetable released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), warning that the new schedule and legal requirements could make it “almost impossible” for opposition parties to field candidates for the 2027 general elections.

The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, in an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today,  said the party’s position stems from its broader objection to the Electoral Act 2026, which he argued contains provisions that create significant compliance hurdles for smaller parties.

“The rejection of the timetable is only consequential to our rejection of the Electoral Act 2026. It is very clear when INEC released its timetable that some of the requirements we will need to meet to field candidates for the 2027 elections, as contained in the Act, are almost impossible for us to meet,” he said on Friday’s edition of the show.

Abdullahi explained that the law requires parties to submit a fully digitalised membership register across all 36 states within a short timeframe when notifying INEC of congresses or conventions.

“What the law expects us to do is that within the next 32 days or so, we will have a digitalised membership register in all the 36 states of the federation that we will be able to submit to INEC while giving them notice of our congresses or conventions. It is almost practically impossible for us to do this,” he said.

READ ALSO: INEC Releases Revised 2027 Elections Timetable; Presidential Poll To Hold Jan 16

‘Structural Disadvantage’

The ADC spokesperson also compared the requirement with the preparations of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), alleging that the governing party had a significant head start.

“We know for a fact that the ruling APC has commenced membership registration since February 2025 and actually hired a consultant to help them in the process of developing a digital register ahead of the 2027 election.

“What took them more than one year to do is what they expect us to do in one month,” he said.

He described the provisions as deliberate obstacles designed to weaken opposition participation.

“Even in practical terms, these are booby traps set in the path of opposition parties because if you look at the law, it says our failure to comply means we will not be able to field candidates for the election… It is all part of the game plan,” the ADC chieftain said.

The party maintains that the timetable, combined with the legal framework, is “not democratic” and could undermine the credibility of the 2027 polls if not reviewed.

Revised Timetable

Nigeria’s preparations for the 2027 general elections entered a new phase after INEC adjusted key dates following the repeal of the Electoral Act 2022 and the enactment of the Electoral Act 2026, signed into law by President Bola Tinubu.

In a statement, National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna, said the revision was necessary to align the electoral calendar with the new legal framework.

He noted that the commission had initially scheduled the following:

Presidential and National Assembly elections for February 20, 2027

Governorship and State Assembly elections for March 6, 2027

However, the dates were brought forward partly after concerns that the earlier timetable coincided with the Ramadan fasting period.

New Election Dates

This prompted the commission to reschedule the activities for the polls as follows:

Presidential and National Assembly elections: 16 January 2027

Governorship and State Assembly elections: 6 February 2027

INEC also released a detailed build-up schedule, including:

Party primaries (including dispute resolution): April 23 – May 30, 2026

Start of presidential and NASS campaigns: August 19, 2026

Start of governorship and state assembly campaigns: September 9, 2026

Campaigns are required by law to end 24 hours before election day.

Haruna emphasised that the timetable complies with the constitution and urged stakeholders to cooperate to ensure peaceful and credible elections.

Other Electoral Adjustments

Beyond the general elections, INEC announced a minor change to the governorship poll in Osun State, shifting it to August 15, 2026, from the earlier date of August 8.

The Commission said outstanding activities in both the Osun and Ekiti processes would strictly follow the provisions of the Electoral Act 2026.

While INEC maintains that the revised timetable ensures compliance with the law and inclusivity, opposition parties argue that operational and administrative requirements could reshape the competitive landscape if not revisited.