The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Tuesday held a closed-door meeting with former President Goodluck Jonathan in Abuja.
The meeting took place at Jonathan’s office in the Maitama district of the Federal Capital Territory. It was attended by members of the party’s NWC and several state PDP chairmen, including former Niger State governor and party chieftain, Tanimu Turaki.
Sources told The Telegraph that discussions centred on the party’s internal crisis, efforts to reposition the PDP ahead of upcoming elections, and broader national issues.
The PDP has been grappling with a protracted leadership dispute, with two factions laying claim to the position of national chairman. One camp backs Abdulrahman Mohammed, reportedly aligned with Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike, while the rival faction supports Tanimu Turaki, backed by Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed and Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde.
The crisis has continued to threaten party cohesion and raised concerns over its readiness for forthcoming elections.
INEC steps In
Amid the growing uncertainty, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, on December 19, 2025, convened a meeting with leaders of both PDP factions at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja.
The intervention followed a series of conflicting correspondences from the party and came ahead of the Federal Capital Territory Area Council elections, as well as governorship polls scheduled for Osun and Ekiti states on February 21, 2026.
The meeting was attended by the NWC led by Tanimu Turaki and the rival faction headed by Samuel Anyanwu.
Amupitan said the engagement was necessitated by INEC’s preparations for the Ekiti and Osun governorship elections slated for June and July 2026. He noted that although the commission had already issued its election timetable and guidelines to all registered political parties, the PDP’s internal disputes made it imperative to seek clarity from the party’s leadership.
According to him, the conflicting positions from the PDP risked undermining the smooth conduct of the elections, prompting INEC to bring both factions together to explore a common path forward.
The INEC chairman expressed satisfaction with the participation of senior party officials from both camps, describing the meeting as a platform for open and constructive dialogue.
He also reaffirmed INEC’s neutrality, stressing that the commission’s actions were guided strictly by the 1999 Constitution, the Electoral Act, and INEC’s regulations and guidelines.
Amupitan urged the PDP factions to engage sincerely in resolving their differences in the interest of the party and the integrity of the electoral process, after which deliberations continued behind closed doors.
