PDP leadership crisis deepens as Turaki-led NWC faults INEC over meeting with Wike-aligned faction

The leadership crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has taken another turn as the National Working Committee (NWC) led by Kabiru Turaki has criticised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for engaging with a rival faction of the party allegedly backed by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.

The controversy followed a meeting convened by INEC on Thursday with chairpersons of registered political parties. Among those present at the meeting was Abdulrahman Mohammed, who heads a caretaker committee constituted by the Wike-aligned faction of the PDP.

Reacting to the development, the spokesperson of the Turaki faction, Ini Ememobong, described Mohammed’s participation in the meeting as provocative and inappropriate, stressing that INEC, as the electoral umpire, is expected to maintain neutrality in party leadership disputes.

In a statement issued on behalf of the Turaki-led NWC, Ememobong noted that the party’s leadership crisis remains the subject of ongoing legal proceedings before the Court of Appeal, where recognition of Turaki as the authentic national chairman is being contested. He argued that INEC ought to have exercised caution pending the resolution of the legal battles.

“This action, though ordinarily vexatious and capable of causing widespread breach of peace, will be met with all possible legal responses,” the statement read.

The PDP spokesperson further maintained that INEC does not possess the constitutional authority to impose or determine leadership structures within political parties. He urged party members to remain calm and law-abiding while awaiting judicial determination of the leadership dispute.

The PDP has remained sharply divided into two factions since last year, following disagreements over the party’s national convention and subsequent leadership claims.

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The crisis escalated last month when a Federal High Court sitting in Ibadan, Oyo State capital, nullified the PDP national convention held in the state on November 15, 2025.

In the ruling, Justice Uche Agomoh rejected the Turaki-led PDP’s application seeking an order compelling INEC to recognise the outcomes of the convention. The court further restrained the Turaki-led NWC from presenting itself as the legitimate leadership of the party.

Justice Agomoh ruled that the convention was conducted in violation of existing court orders, stressing that the PDP could not disregard judicial directives and subsequently seek the court’s endorsement of actions taken in defiance of such orders.

The court held that the party should continue to operate through a caretaker committee arrangement until a valid and lawful national convention is conducted in accordance with the party constitution and relevant laws.

However, Turaki, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), strongly criticised the ruling, arguing that the presiding judge granted reliefs that were neither requested nor canvassed by any of the parties involved in the suit.

Turaki subsequently announced that the PDP had filed a notice of appeal and a motion seeking a stay of execution of the judgement, insisting that the outcomes of the November 2025 national convention remain valid and binding on the party.

He described the convention as “legally intact, firmly in place, and fully committed to the ongoing rebirth” of the PDP.

The controversial convention had received the backing of Governors Seyi Makinde of Oyo State and Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State. The event itself was preceded by a series of conflicting court rulings.

While some Federal High Courts in Abuja ordered the PDP to suspend the convention over alleged violations of party constitutional provisions and electoral laws, a High Court in Ibadan granted approval for the party to proceed and directed INEC to monitor the exercise.

The latest disagreement over INEC’s engagement with the Wike faction has further underscored the deepening internal rift within the PDP, raising concerns among party stakeholders about its unity and stability ahead of future electoral contests.