- He maintained that the party’s structures and organs recognise Turaki as the authentic national chairman
- According to him, the commission acted within the law by refusing to acknowledge the outcome of the Ibadan convention
- The party insisted that the majority of PDP stakeholders recognise Turaki’s leadership
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declined to recognise the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led by Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, SAN, citing existing court judgments and unresolved legal disputes surrounding the party’s leadership.
Eko Hot Blog reports that the electoral umpire’s decision has further deepened the leadership crisis rocking the opposition party, with rival factions trading claims of legitimacy and accusing each other of acting outside the law.
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Reacting to INEC’s position, the publicity secretary of the Turaki-led NWC, Ini Ememobong, insisted that the current leadership emerged through due process and stressed that the PDP remains one united party with no factional divide.
He maintained that the party’s structures and organs recognise Turaki as the authentic national chairman.
On the other hand, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, who serves as national secretary under the Nyesom Wike-backed faction, praised INEC for what he described as strict compliance with court rulings.
According to him, the commission acted within the law by refusing to acknowledge the outcome of the Ibadan convention.
PDP governors had earlier thrown their weight behind the Ibadan convention held on November 16, where Turaki and other NWC members were elected for a four-year tenure.
The governors also facilitated a transition process from former chairman Umar Damagum before the expiration of his tenure on December 9.
However, the Wike-aligned group rejected the process and, a day earlier, announced a 60-day caretaker committee, naming Mohammed Abdulrahman as acting national chairman and Anyanwu as acting national secretary. Since then, both camps have sought INEC’s official recognition.
In a letter dated December 22 and signed by the commission’s secretary, Rose Oriaran-Anthony, INEC explained that it could not update or validate the list of officers produced at the PDP convention due to binding judgments of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The commission noted that although appeals had been filed, the judgments remain enforceable until overturned or stayed by a higher court.
INEC also clarified that interim orders from a state high court could not override final judgments of courts of coordinate or superior jurisdiction, adding that pending suits before the courts made the request premature.
Responding, the Turaki-led NWC accused INEC of bias and selective obedience to the law, arguing that the commission had previously monitored party meetings and primaries conducted under its leadership.
The party insisted that the majority of PDP stakeholders recognise Turaki’s leadership.
Meanwhile, Anyanwu reiterated that INEC’s refusal validates the Wike-backed faction’s position, describing the Ibadan convention as legally flawed and unacceptable under Nigerian law.
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