PDP Faults INEC’s Refusal to Recognise Turaki-Led NWC, Insists Party Has No Faction

The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), led by Kabiru Tanimu Turaki (SAN), has criticised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for refusing to recognise its leadership, insisting that there is, both “in law and in fact,” no faction within the party.
The party’s reaction followed INEC’s decision to decline a formal request by the Turaki-led NWC to update its records and recognise the leadership that emerged from the PDP’s national convention held in Ibadan, Oyo State, in November. INEC cited ongoing court cases arising from the disputed convention as the basis for its decision.
In a letter dated December 22 and addressed to the party’s legal representatives, Akintayo Balogun & Co, INEC stated that the matter remained sub judice and that it could not take any administrative action that might pre-empt the outcome of the pending legal proceedings.
The Turaki-led NWC enjoys the backing of Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde and Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed.
The Ibadan convention, which produced a new set of national officers, was held amid conflicting court rulings. While some Federal High Courts in Abuja had restrained the PDP from conducting the convention over alleged breaches of the party’s constitution and the Electoral Act, an Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan cleared the party to proceed and directed INEC to monitor the exercise.
A rival faction opposed to the Ibadan convention, reportedly aligned with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, subsequently announced a parallel National Working Committee, Board of Trustees (BoT) and National Executive Committee (NEC).
Following the convention, the Makinde-backed PDP formally requested INEC to recognise Turaki as the party’s authentic national chairman and to update its records accordingly. However, INEC maintained that it would not effect any changes to the PDP’s leadership records until all court cases challenging the convention had been fully resolved.
“In the light of the pending suits, your request is prejudiced and cannot be acceded to until the determination of the pending appeals,” INEC said.
“In obedience to the rule of law and subsisting court orders, the commission is unable to recognise or update the list of national officers said to have emerged from the PDP national convention of November 15–16, 2025.”
Reacting to INEC’s position, the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, said the judgments referenced by the commission had been appealed and that applications for stay of execution were already before the courts. He added that the Court of Appeal would soon rule on the matters.
Ememobong noted that INEC had monitored and participated in PDP National Executive Committee meetings where the date and venue of the convention were unanimously approved, and that the commission had been formally notified of the exercise. He accused INEC of suppressing these facts in court.
He further stated that INEC monitored recent PDP primaries in Ekiti and Osun states, with official communications issued by the Turaki-led NWC.
“While INEC claims neutrality and says it is awaiting the judgment of the court, it must be guided by recent Supreme Court decisions, including the SDP case, which barred the commission from interfering in the internal leadership affairs of political parties,” Ememobong said.
According to him, the PDP’s Board of Trustees, Governors’ Forum, state chairmen, National Assembly caucuses, former governors, former ministers and other stakeholder groups have, in recent weeks, met with and recognised the leadership of the Turaki-led NWC.
“The truth remains that there is no faction in the PDP, as all legitimate organs and administrative structures of the party are under the control of Kabiru Tanimu Turaki (SAN),” he said.
Ememobong also accused INEC of bias and inconsistency, questioning the commission’s engagement with PDP representatives while maintaining that the leadership dispute was before the courts.