ABUJA: The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Friday moved to contain the deepening leadership crisis within the peoplesdemocraticparty (PDP), convening a meeting of the party’s rival factions at its headquarters in Abuja.
The talks brought together the group led by Tanimu Turaki and another faction headed by Abdulrahman Mohammed, which is reportedly backed by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
Turaki attended the meeting with members of his National Working Committee, secretariat officials 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.
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Opening the meeting, INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, said the commission’s intervention became necessary after receiving multiple and conflicting letters from different factions of the PDP.
We have received several correspondences from various sides requesting one thing or the other, Amupitan said.
INEC is statutorily empowered under the Constitution and the Electoral Act to monitor the activities of political parties.
He explained that the urgency of the meeting was heightened by preparations for upcoming elections, including the Federal Capital Territory Area Council polls scheduled for February 21, 2026, as well as the Ekiti and Osun governorship elections slated for June and July 2026.
According to him, INEC has already issued election timetables to all political parties and is determined to ensure smooth electoral processes across the affected states.
We have received conflicting correspondence from the PDP, and we felt that bringing everyone together would help us chart a way forward concerning these elections, he said. We want frank discussions so that issues can be resolved and we can move forward as a family.
Amupitan stressed that INEC would remain neutral, insisting that all actions by the commission would strictly follow the Constitution, the Electoral Act, and its internal regulations.
“INEC operates on a tripod of laws: the Constitution, the Electoral Act, and our regulations. We are committed to upholding the sanctity of these laws at all times, he added.
After the opening remarks, the meeting moved into a closed-door session. Outcomes from the talks are expected to shape efforts at resolving the PDP’s internal disputes ahead of the forthcoming elections.
