The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Friday stepped into the leadership crisis engulfing the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), summoning the party’s rival factions to its headquarters in Abuja.
The meeting brought together the faction led by Tanimu Turaki and the group headed by Abdulrahman Mohammed, which is backed by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
Turaki attended with members of his National Working Committee, secretariat staff and former Niger State Governor, Babangida Aliyu. Mohammed, on the other hand, was accompanied by members of his national caretaker committee, including its secretary, Senator Sam Anyanwu.
Opening the meeting, INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, said the commission’s intervention became necessary due to a series of conflicting correspondences received from the party.
“This meeting has become necessary because we have received several letters from different sides requesting one thing or the other,” Amupitan said. “INEC is statutorily mandated under the Constitution and the Electoral Act to monitor the activities of political parties.”
He explained that the intervention was also prompted by preparations for upcoming elections, including the Federal Capital Territory Area Council polls scheduled for February 21, 2026, as well as the governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun states slated for June and July 2026, respectively.
“As part of preparations for these elections, INEC has issued a schedule of activities to all political parties, and we are committed to ensuring smooth electoral processes in the FCT, Ekiti and Osun,” he said.
“We have received conflicting communications from the PDP, and we felt that bringing everyone together would provide an opportunity to chart a way forward, particularly as it concerns participation in the forthcoming elections.”
Amupitan noted that the presence of top party officials at the meeting would help facilitate frank discussions aimed at resolving the disputes.
He further assured the factions of INEC’s neutrality, stressing that the commission’s actions were guided strictly by the Constitution, the Electoral Act and its regulations.
“INEC operates within three legal frameworks—the Constitution, the Electoral Act and our regulations—and we are determined to adhere strictly to these provisions,” he said. “We want very frank discussions that will help us achieve the objectives of this meeting.”
After the opening remarks, the meeting proceeded into a closed-door session.
The outcome is expected to produce recommendations aimed at resolving the PDP’s internal crisis ahead of the forthcoming elections.
