Court Fixes November 19 For Hearing In Iyabo Obasanjo, Sogbesan Amoo Ogun Central PDP Ticket Dispute

The Federal High Court sitting in Abeokuta, Ogun State, has fixed November 19, 2026, for the hearing of a suit challenging the recognition of Senator Iyabo Obasanjo as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for the Ogun Central Senatorial District in the 2027 general election.

The case, marked FHC/AB/CS/117/2026, was instituted by Sogbesan Amoo, a PDP aspirant for the Ogun Central senatorial seat, against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the PDP and Senator Obasanjo.

The matter came up on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, before Justice Okeke, where counsel to the plaintiff, Adewale Mosadomi, who appeared on behalf of Ejembi Eko, SAN, informed the court that all parties had been served with the necessary court processes.

Mosadomi also told the court that the plaintiff received INEC’s counter-affidavit and written address on November 2, adding that the plaintiff was still within the legally stipulated period to file a response.

M. Egah represented INEC, while B.R. Gold, SAN, appeared alongside I.A. Amosa for the PDP. Senator Obasanjo was represented by Professor A. Amuda-Kannike, SAN, and R.O. Bakare.

After listening to the submissions from the lawyers, Justice Okeke adjourned the case until November 19, 2026, for hearing.

The legal dispute followed INEC’s publication of Senator Obasanjo’s name on August 1, 2026, as the PDP’s candidate for the Ogun Central Senatorial District in the forthcoming 2027 general election.

In his suit, Amoo is asking the court to determine whether INEC acted lawfully by accepting and publishing Obasanjo’s name when, according to his argument, she was not included in the PDP membership register submitted to the electoral commission, as required by Section 77(4) of the Electoral Act 2026.

The plaintiff is also questioning the constitutional validity of her candidacy under Section 65(2)(b) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended. He maintains that she was neither a registered member of the PDP nor a participant in the party’s primary election for the senatorial district.

Furthermore, Amoo is challenging her recognition under Section 29(1) of the Electoral Act 2026, arguing that INEC cannot lawfully recognise or publish the name of a candidate who allegedly did not participate in or emerge from a valid primary election conducted by the political party.

He is therefore seeking declaratory orders from the court to establish that the recognition and publication of Senator Obasanjo as the PDP candidate for Ogun Central were unlawful due to alleged violations of relevant constitutional and electoral provisions.

The suit was initially filed on August 14, 2026, and first came up before the court on September 29.

During the earlier proceedings, the plaintiff’s counsel informed the court that a bailiff had attempted to serve the legal documents on Senator Obasanjo on September 28 but was unable to reach her.

The court subsequently adjourned the matter to November 3 for further proceedings, leading to Tuesday’s appearance, where November 19 was eventually fixed for the substantive hearing.

The November 19 hearing is expected to determine the next stage of the legal battle over the PDP’s Ogun Central senatorial ticket ahead of the 2027 general election.

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