A High Court in Ado Ekiti has issued an order halting the Local Government and State Congresses of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State.
Justice E.B. Omotoso delivered the ruling on Motion Exparte Number HAD/424M/2025, filed on May 6, 2025, by Hon. Afolabi Adedeji.
The lawsuit targets the PDP, the party’s Acting National Chairman, Umar Damagun, the National Organising Secretary, Umar Bature, the Caretaker Chairman of the party in Ekiti State, Dare Adeleke, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
In the ruling, the court directed that all parties involved should maintain the status quo until the Motion on Notice is heard and determined. Furthermore, the court ordered that the PDP Acting National Chairman, National Organising Secretary, and Ekiti State Caretaker Chairman be served the court order via their WhatsApp numbers.
“Leave is hereby granted to the claimant/applicant to serve the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th defendants the Originating Process with its accompanying processes by substituted means, by pasting the aforestated originating process on the wall of the 1st defendant’s office situate at Ajilosun Street, Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State,” the court stated.
The ruling also permitted the claimant/applicant to serve the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th defendants through their respective WhatsApp numbers: 08047677070, 08035961850, and 08033242822.
“All parties in this case are hereby ordered to maintain status quo pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice which is hereby fixed for hearing on Wednesday, the 14th day of May, 2025,” the court ruled.
The plaintiff, Hon. Afolabi Adedeji, sought an interim injunction to restrain the defendants from recognising any list of individuals who did not obtain election forms, participate in the elections, or were not elected by majority votes during the ward congress of the PDP in Ekiti State, allowing only those elected on March 15, 2025, to represent the party as delegates in any election.
Additionally, he requested the court to mark the Originating Summons as concurrent and to issue and serve the Originating Summons and other accompanying processes on the first, second, third, and fifth defendants, whose addresses are outside the jurisdiction of the court and in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
