The two separate factions of the Peoples Democratic Party backed by Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, have remained adamant in maintaining their political positions despite the intervention of the Independent National Electoral Commission. Punch reports.
While Wike’s camp says it embodies the party’s original leadership, Makinde’s bloc maintains its stance as the rightful custodian of the party.
INEC intervened on Friday in the leadership crisis rocking the PDP by summoning the party’s rival factions to its headquarters in Abuja.
The meeting brought together the factions chaired by Tanimu Turaki and the opposing group led by Abdulrahman Mohammed.
The INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, said the intervention became necessary following a series of conflicting correspondences received from the party.
“And we are aware that INEC is charged statutorily under the Act and under the Constitution to monitor the activities of political parties,” he said.
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.
Speaking with Sunday PUNCH on INEC’s intervention, Makinde’s bloc said it would continue performing the responsibilities of a political party, adding that it remained committed to repositioning the party for victory.
The National Publicity Secretary of the PDP (Makinde’s bloc), Ini 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.
He stated that the Supreme Court had cautioned INEC that it could not determine the leadership of a political party.
Ememobong added that the meeting with INEC was merely an interaction.
“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,” Ememobong said.
Commenting for Wike’s camp, the Acting National Youth Leader of the PDP, Timothy Osadolor, said issues regarding the party’s leadership were in court, adding that nothing could be done unless the warring parties chose to withdraw their cases and accept that there was no exercise in Ibadan.
He stated that with such a move, the parties could then sit down to discuss the way forward.
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.
The party chieftain 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.”
