The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) factions backed by Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, have remained adamant in resolving the ongoing crisis within the party, despite the intervention of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Themomentng recalls that INEC recently intervened in the PDP leadership crisis by summoning the factions chaired by Tanimu Turaki and the opposing group led by Abdulrahman Mohammed to its headquarters in Abuja.
The INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, said the intervention was necessary after a series of correspondence from the party.
He noted that the intervention was also informed by preparations for the Federal Capital Territory Area Council elections scheduled for February 21, 2026, as well as the governorship polls in Ekiti and Osun states slated for June and July 2026, respectively.
He said, “And we are aware that INEC is charged statutorily under the Act and under the Constitution to monitor the activities of political parties.”
In an interview with Punch, the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP (Makinde’s faction), Ini Ememobong, said the party would continue to perform its responsibilities as a political party, stressing its commitment to repositioning the party for victory.
Ememobong said the outcome of the INEC meeting was that both factions would have to wait for the Court of Appeal’s decision on the matters before it, stressing that the Supreme Court had cautioned the electoral body that it could not determine the leadership of a political party.
According to him, the meeting with INEC was merely an interaction, saying, “The two rulings of Justices James Omotosho and Peter Lifu of the Federal High Courts on the convention are being challenged. So, everyone has to wait for the Appeal Court judgment.
“We know that the court shouldn’t meddle in the affairs of any political party, and the court didn’t stop our November convention. It just said INEC shouldn’t attend, while the other said Sule Lamido should be included. We are contending that those are internal affairs of the party.”
Similarly, the Acting National Youth Leader of the PDP (Wike’s camp), Timothy Osadolor, said issues regarding the party’s leadership were in court, adding that nothing could be done unless the warring parties withdrew their cases and accepted that there was no exercise in Ibadan.
Osadolor added that those who went to Ibadan for the “early Christmas party” (the PDP November convention) were advised either to return to the party or go wherever else they chose.
He noted, “They went to Ibadan, and several of them have defected. Governor Ademola Adeleke has defected to the Accord Party, and another governor has gone to the All Progressives Congress. If they believe they are still part of the PDP family, they should come, except they have another party they can lay claim to.”
