The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has formally declined to recognize the Tanimu Turaki-led National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), citing binding court judgments and ongoing legal disputes.
In a letter dated December 22, addressed to the legal representatives of the Turaki faction, INEC stated it cannot acknowledge or update its records with the list of officers purportedly elected at the party’s national convention held in Ibadan on November 15–16, 2025.
INEC’s Legal Grounds for Rejection
The commission referenced two final judgments from the Federal High Court in Abuja that expressly restrain it from supervising, monitoring, or recognizing the outcome of the said convention. According to the letter, these judgments remain binding until set aside or stayed by a higher court, and the mere filing of an appeal does not constitute a stay of execution.
“In obedience to the rule of law and subsisting court orders, the commission is unable to accede to the demand to recognise or update the list of the national officers,” the letter stated.
INEC also noted that the matter is further complicated by pending suits, including one filed by the Turaki-led faction itself, seeking to compel the commission’s recognition. It concluded that the request is “prejudiced and cannot be acceded to until the determination of the pending appeals.”
Turaki Faction Rejects INEC’s Stance, Alleges Bias
In a swift response,the Turaki-led NWC’s National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, maintained the legitimacy of its leadership and denied the existence of any faction within the PDP. He argued that applications for a stay of execution have been filed and are awaiting a ruling from the Court of Appeal.
Ememobong accused INEC of “hypocrisy and consistent bias,” claiming the commission had previously monitored and participated in meetings leading to the convention and had overseen recent primaries in Ekiti and Osun states based on communications from the Turaki-led NWC.
“INEC must remember that democracy is hinged on majority rule,” Ememobong stated, asserting that the party’s legitimate organs, state chapters, and key stakeholders—including the Board of Trustees, the Governors’ Forum, and National Assembly caucuses—all acknowledge Turaki’s leadership.
Rival Faction Hails INEC’s Decision
Senator Samuel Anyanwu,the National Secretary of the rival faction aligned with former Governor Nyesom Wike, welcomed INEC’s decision as a faithful adherence to the law.
This development deepens the ongoing crisis within the opposition party, which has been split since a controversial transition in leadership last November. While PDP governors endorsed the Ibadan convention that elected Turaki, the Wike-backed faction insists that its appointees, including an Acting National Chairman and Acting National Secretary, remain the legitimate interim leaders.
Both factions have been locked in a struggle for official recognition from INEC, a status critical for conducting primaries and submitting candidates for future elections. The commission’s latest move aligns it, for now, with the directives of the courts, leaving the PDP’s internal leadership battle to be resolved judicially.