The Kabiru Turaki-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party National Working Committee has criticised the Independent National Electoral Commission for recognising the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesome Wike-backed caretaker committee, describing the move as unconstitutional and provocative.

The Turaki-led NWC in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, on Thursday, warned that it would pursue all available legal options to challenge the commission’s action.

Last Friday, a Federal High Court sitting in Ibadan nullified the PDP National Convention held on November 15, 2025, in Ibadan, Oyo State, and directed Tanimu Turaki (SAN) and several others to cease parading themselves as national officers of the party.

Prior to the judgment, PDP governors had backed the Ibadan Convention that produced Turaki and members of the National Working Committee for a four-year tenure.

However, the FCT Minister, alongside his allies Abdulrahman Mohammed and Senator Samuel Anyanwu, insisted they remained the Acting National Chairman and Acting National Secretary, respectively.

Even though the governors facilitated a transition from former Chairman Umar Damagum to Turaki ahead of Damagum’s tenure expiration on December 9, the Wike-aligned camp established a 13-member caretaker committee on December 8, naming Mohammed, Anyanwu, and others to serve with a 60-day mandate.

Subsequently, both the governors’ bloc and the Wike-aligned faction approached INEC seeking official recognition, but the electoral body declined to acknowledge either side, sparking multiple legal disputes as the 2027 general elections draw closer.

Reacting to the court decision, the Turaki-led PDP NWC, through its Publicity Secretary Ini Ememobong, announced that its legal team had been directed to file an immediate appeal and pursue all available legal remedies.

Meanwhile, the Wike-backed faction applauded the ruling barring Turaki and others from functioning as the party’s National Working Committee and pledged to organise a fresh convention to elect new NWC members.

As a result, INEC on Thursday, formally acknowledged the Wike-backed Caretaker Committee, with individuals presented as Acting Chairman, Acting Secretary, and National Organising Secretary representing the PDP at the commission’s quarterly consultative meeting with political parties in Abuja.

In response, Ememobong called on party members to stay peaceful and patient while awaiting the resolution of the ongoing court cases concerning the party’s leadership crisis.

The statement partly read, “We are aware that the Independent National Electoral Commission invited the leaders of political parties to a meeting today and extended the invitation to some former members of our party who are purporting to lead a so-called National Caretaker Committee to represent our party, whereas there is no such provision in our constitution.

“This action, though ordinarily vexatious and capable of causing a widespread breach of peace, will be met with all possible legal responses. Though not unexpected of this current INEC leadership, it is expected that an impartial umpire would have taken notice of the pendency of the matters in the Court of Appeal (including the judgment which they are relying upon), which, when decided, will effectively affect the subject under consideration, and exercised restraint therefrom. We can assure that INEC will not choose a leadership for our party.

“Consequently, we urge all our members to remain calm and hopeful that, soonest, the Court of Appeal will hear and determine all the cases concerning the leadership of our party.

“We assure that the Rebirth movement of our party, under the able leadership of Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, SAN, is steady and secure, and will ultimately surmount all these challenges to present a stronger and more united party to Nigerians as a credible alternative to the ruling party that has brought untold sorrows, tears, and blood to Nigerians.” (The PUNCH)

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