The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Friday intervened in the lingering leadership crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), summoning rival factions of the party to its headquarters in Abuja.
The meeting brought together the faction led by Tanimu Turaki and a rival group headed by Abdulrahman Mohammed, which is backed by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
Turaki attended the meeting alongside members of his National Working Committee, secretariat staff, and former Niger State Governor, Babangida Aliyu. Mohammed, on his part, arrived with members of his national caretaker committee, including its secretary, Senator Sam Anyanwu.
Speaking at the opening of the meeting, INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, said the commission’s 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,” Amupitan said. “INEC is charged statutorily under the Constitution and the Electoral Act to monitor the activities of political parties.”
He explained 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 Ekiti and Osun governorship elections slated for June and July 2026, respectively.
“As a build-up to these elections, we have issued our schedule of activities to all political parties. We have received conflicting correspondence from the PDP, and we felt that bringing all parties together would help us forge a way forward concerning the elections,” he said.
Amupitan stressed that INEC’s actions were guided strictly by the Constitution, the Electoral Act and the commission’s regulations, assuring the factions of the commission’s neutrality in the dispute.
“INEC operates within a tripod of legal regimes, the Constitution, the Electoral Act and our regulations. We are determined to follow the provisions of these laws while ensuring a smooth electoral process,” he said, urging the party leaders to engage in frank discussions.
Following the opening remarks, the meeting proceeded into a closed-door session.
The meeting is expected to produce recommendations aimed at resolving the PDP’s internal leadership disputes ahead of the forthcoming elections.
