*Turaki-Led PDP NWC Insists It Emerged From Valid Convention Despite Legal Challenge
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The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has concluded that it will await the final judgment of the Court of Appeal on the lingering leadership crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
This followed a troubleshooting meeting held on Thursday at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja, where the two warring factions of the party presented their cases.
The meeting had in attendance the Tanimu Turaki-led faction and the Nyesom Wike-backed Abdulrahman Mohammed faction.
Some of those who accompanied Turaki were members of his National Working Committee (NWC), secretariat staff and former Governor Babangida Aliyu of Niger State.
Mohammed, on his part, was accompanied by members of his national caretaker committee including the secretary, Senator Sam Anyanwu.
Speaking at the opening of the meeting, the INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, said the intervention became necessary following a series of conflicting correspondence received from the party.
“This meeting has become necessary because we have received several correspondence from various sides requesting one thing or the other. And we are aware that INEC is charged statutorily under the Act and under the Constitution to monitor the activities of political parties,” he said.
He noted that the intervention was also informed by preparations for the Federal Capital Territory Area Council elections scheduled for February 21, 2026, as well as the governorship polls in Ekiti and Osun states slated for June and July 2026 respectively.
“And as a build-up to these elections, we have issued our own schedule of activities to all the political parties. And we are on course to ensure that we have a very smooth election at the area council of FCT and at Ekiti and Osun states.
“We have received conflicting correspondence from the PDP, and we felt that rubbing minds together would be a good opportunity for us to forge the way forward concerning the elections.
“And I’m happy that this morning we have the very top officials that are present here so that we can discuss as a family and see how the issues can be resolved and we move forward,” he said.
The INEC chairman stressed that the commission’s actions were guided strictly by the Constitution, the Electoral Act and its internal regulations, assuring the factions of its neutrality.
“So we are mindful of the need for us to maintain the sanctity of the Constitution of Nigeria. Actually, INEC sits on a tripod, comprising three legal regimes: the Constitution, the Electoral Act, and the regulations that have been made. So, we are determined to ensure that we follow the provisions of the various laws, the Constitution and the regulations that we have made.
“So without much ado, I want to welcome all of you, and I request that we should have very, very frank discussions to ensure that we can achieve the objective of this meeting,” he said.
Following the opening remarks, the meeting proceeded into a closed-door session.
According to a news release issued by the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Ini Ememobong, the INEC Chairman invited the Kabiru Turaki-led National Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party and some former members of the party who are claiming to be in different leadership positions “to in his words ‘find a way to resolve the lingering crisis in the party.'”
The statement noted that both sides exhaustively presented the facts of the situation and confirmed that the issues are now before the Court of Appeal.
“At the end, the INEC Chairman concluded that the meeting was called to hear from both sides, though the commission is aware of the pending cases at the Court of Appeal and that the Commission awaits the final judgement of the Court on the matter,” the statement read.
At the end of the meeting, National Chairman, Kabiru Turaki, SAN, said: “As the authentic leadership of the party that emerged at a valid convention (though contested in court), while awaiting the pronouncement of the court, we will continue to undertake the duties of an opposition party, which is to hold government to account on critical issues like security, infrastructure, education, healthcare etc.”
The INEC chairman’s decision to await the Court of Appeal’s judgment means that the commission will not take any definitive action on recognizing either faction until the legal process is concluded.
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