INEC Intervenes In PDP Crisis, Meets Wike, Makinde Factions

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday intervened in the protracted crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) with a closed-door meeting with leaders of the warring factions at its headquarters in Abuja.

The meeting brought together delegations from the faction led by Tanimu Turaki, which is backed by Oyo State governor, Seyi Makinde and minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike camp with Abdulrahman Mohammed as chairman.

Turaki was accompanied by members of his National Working Committee (NWC), party secretariat staff and former Niger State governor Babangida Aliyu to the meeting while Mohammed came with members of his national caretaker committee, including its secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu.

The PDP crisis peaked in November when a faction reportedly backed by governors including Bala Mohammed of Bauchi and Seyi Makinde of Oyo held a national convention which produced a new NWC with Turaki as national chairman.

During the convention, the faction announced the expulsion of Wike and his associates such as former Ekiti State governor Ayodele Fayose; Senator Samuel Anyanwu; Bature Ajibade; Mao Ohuabunwa; former Imo State PDP chairman Austin Nwachukwu; former Abia State PDP chairman Amah Nnanna Abraham; former national vice chairman (South-South), Dan Orbih and George Turnah.

However, the Wike-backed group rejected the expulsions and retaliated by throwing up a National Working Committee, Board of Trustees and National Executive Committee structures.

Speaking before the meeting went into closed-doors, the chairman of INEC Prof. Joash Amupitan (SAN), said the commission invited the all the parties to find a way of forging a common front that would enhance seamless election management.

“We have decided to invite all the parties, especially the fact that we have received conflicting correspondences from the PDP and we felt that by rubbing minds together, it be a good opportunity for us to forge the way forward concerning the elections.

“And I’m happy that this morning, very top officials are present here so that we can discuss as a family and see how the issues can be resolved and we move forward. We are guided by the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Electoral Acts, and the regulations that have been made by INEC.

“So we are mindful of the need for us to maintain the sanctity of the Constitution of Nigeria, which is the ground norm, as well as the Electoral Act and the guidelines. Actually, INEC sits on the tripod of three legal regimes, the Constitution, the Electoral Acts 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,” he added.

Addressing journalists at the end of the meeting Turaki said his group was shocked seeing some expelled members of the PDP at the meeting convened by INEC for the party’s leaders.

“When we received the invite, we thought that it was in respect of an earlier request to meet with INEC leadership and discuss and resolve some housekeeping issues. When we arrived this morning, however, we discovered that some former members of our party, who had earlier been expelled, were also invited…with a view to looking for possible solutions that will solve what the Chairman described as lingering problems within the People’s Democratic Party.

“So, we have spoken with him from our own perspective. We’ve made presentation of what we think the issues are and we’ve spoken to those issues. And INEC had listened to us. And INEC had said, even though that there are matters that are before the Court of Appeal, and matters have not been heard, and INEC cannot take the place of a Court of Jurisdiction, but that they will look into what we have said very seriously.

“I’m sure if they do that, they certainly will come back to us. So, while we shall be waiting for INEC to come back to us regarding those  issues, that we raise from our own perspective, I want to assure Nigerians and members of the public that we shall continue our work as the leading opposition party in Nigeria.

“We will continue to hold the APC-led federal government accountable to best practices, to the rule of law, to issues of security, issues of decayed and decayed infrastructure, issues of injustice, and other issues that are affecting the lives of Nigerians fundamentally,”he added.

Factional national secretary, Samuel Anyanwu, insisted that his camp remains the legitimate leadership of party which was constituted at the expiration of the tenure of the immediate past NWC.

“You know the life span of the National Committee of the party expired on the night of December 12th, 2025 and the Caretaker Committee was appointed by the NEC and Board of Trustees of PDP…I’m the Secretary of the Caretaker Committee

INEC invited us because of the issue of correspondences that have been flying from our home side and the other side. As a matter of fact, we are aware, I don’t know if you are aware, that the court nullified the convention and there was no convention.

“And because NEC was wise in their wisdom, appointed the Caretaker Committee to stay and put things together and conduct all the conferences that have not been done based on the court’s judgment. Then be able to prepare and conduct an all-inclusive and credible national convention for the party, which we have already started to put things in motion,”he said.

On the meeting, Anyanwu said, “the only takeaway is, I must say, we have a man(Amupitan) who has been blessed by God with wisdom and the commissioners, the way they spoke to us, shows that they really want this party to continue to strive as the major opposition party in Nigeria.

“We as members of the party are ready and prepared. So they are looking at the issues and options of how to bring peace for us. So we are yet to get a decision of INEC on the matter, but both sides spoke.

And we are all able to punch up where the problem is coming from. It has to do with grief, aggression and ego of some people. As a matter of fact, as a responsible party, we believe in the rule of law, the electoral guidelines and INEC guidelines.”