INEC rejects PDP’s Turaki-led NWC over court judgement

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declined a request seeking official recognition of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led by Kabiru Turaki.

INEC explained that its decision was based on existing court judgments, which it said remain binding and must be respected in line with the rule of law.

The Turaki-led PDP NWC has the support of Seyi Makinde, governor of Oyo, and Bala Mohammed, his Bauchi counterpart.

Recalls that in November, the PDP, with the backing of Mohammed and Makinde, convened a national convention in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital, which produced a new set of national officers.

The national convention was preceded by a series of conflicting court judgements, with some rulings from federal high courts in Abuja halting the event over alleged breaches of party constitution and electoral laws, while the Oyo state high court in Ibadan cleared the PDP to proceed with the exercise and directed INEC to monitor it.

A group of party members led by Nyesom Wike, minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), who opposed the convention, would later form a parallel NWC, board of trustees (BoT) and national executive committee (NEC).

Subsequently, the Makinde-backed PDP, through its counsel, asked INEC to recognise Turaki as the party’s authentic national chairman.

In a letter dated December 22 and addressed to Akintayo Balogun & Co, PDP’s legal representatives, INEC said the matter remains sub judice, noting that it cannot take administrative action that may pre-empt the outcome of the legal processes before the courts.

The electoral body said it would not update its records to reflect any change in the party’s national leadership pending the resolution of ongoing court cases challenging the convention.

“In the light of the above pending suits, your request is prejudiced and cannot be acceded to until the determination of the pending appeals,” the letter reads.

“In the circumstances, and 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 said to have emerged from the PDP National convention of 15th- 16th November 2025.”