The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Friday intervened in the leadership crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), citing growing public concern and the need to safeguard the electoral process.
The commission summoned the two rival factions of the PDP to a meeting at its headquarters in Abuja to address the impasse.
The meeting, presided over by the INEC Chairman, brought together the leadership of the contending factions.
The Tanimu Turaki-led faction was represented by its chairman and members of the working committee, alongside secretariat officials and former Niger State Governor, Babangida Aliyu.
The opposing faction, backed by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, was led by its Acting National Chairman, Abdulrahman Mohammed, and members of the National Caretaker Committee, including the secretary, Senator Sam Anyanwu.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, said the intervention became imperative 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,” he said. “INEC is statutorily empowered under the Constitution and the Electoral Act to monitor the activities of political parties.”
He said the commission’s action was also informed by preparations for the Federal Capital Territory Area Council elections scheduled for February 21, 2026, as well as the governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun states billed for June and July 2026, respectively.
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“As part of the build-up to these elections, we have issued our schedule of activities to all political parties, and we are committed to ensuring smooth polls in the FCT, Ekiti and Osun,” he said.
Amupitan noted that INEC received conflicting submissions from the PDP and considered it necessary to engage all parties to chart a way forward ahead of the elections.
“We felt that bringing everyone together to rub minds would provide an opportunity to forge a common path concerning the forthcoming elections,” he added.
“I am pleased that the top officials of the party are present this morning so that we can discuss as a family, resolve the issues and move forward,” he said.
The INEC chairman assured the factions that the commission would remain neutral, stressing that its actions were guided strictly by the law.
“We are mindful of the need to uphold the sanctity of the Constitution. INEC operates on a tripod of legal regimes — the Constitution, the Electoral Act and our regulations,” he said.
He added: “We are determined to comply strictly with these laws and regulations. I therefore welcome you and urge that we engage in frank discussions to achieve the objective of this meeting.”
