INEC meets PDP factions ahead of 2026 elections

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Friday, held a closed-door meeting with the factions of the crisis-rocked Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), ahead of the 2026 elections in several states.

The meeting which was held at the headquarters of the electoral umpire in Abuja, brought together the faction led by Tanimu Turaki and the faction backed by the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike which is headed by Abdulrahman Mohammed.

Turaki attended the meeting alongside members of his National Working Committee (NWC) including former Niger State Governor, Babangida Aliyu, while Mohammed was accompanied by members of his NWC, including Senator Sam Anyanwu.

While addressing the factions, INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, said the intervention meeting had became necessary following a series of conflicting correspondence received from the party due to the leadership crisis which has refused to go away.

The INEC boss noted that the engagement was meant to address the party’s internal disputes ahead of the 2026 elections the divergent stance of the different factions of the PDP which has raised concerns about compliance with electoral guidelines and preparations for forthcoming polls.

Amupitan emphasized that the electoral commission is statutorily empowered under the Nigerian Constitution and the Electoral Act to monitor the activities of political parties, in addition to conducting elections.

He added 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.

According to the Commission Chairman, the meeting was convened to provide a platform for party leaders to engage constructively, clarify issues, and agree on a clear path forward as preparations for the elections gather momentum.

“As a build-up to these elections, we have issued our own schedule of activities to all the political parties. And we are on course to ensure that we have a very smooth election at the area council of FCT and at Ekiti and Osun states.

“We are aware that INEC is charged statutorily under the Act and under the Constitution to monitor the activities of political parties.

“This meeting has become necessary because we have received several correspondence from various sides requesting one thing or the other.

“We have received conflicting correspondence from the PDP, and we felt that rubbing minds together would be a good opportunity for us to forge the way forward concerning the elections.

“And I’m happy that this morning we have the very top officials that are present here so that we can discuss as a family and see how the issues can be resolved and we move forward.

“So we are mindful of the need for us to maintain the sanctity of the Constitution of Nigeria. Actually, INEC sits on a tripod, comprising three legal regimes: the Constitution, the Electoral Act, and the regulations that have been made. So, we are determined to ensure that we follow the provisions of the various laws, the Constitution and the regulations that we have made.

“So without much ado, I want to welcome all of you, and I request that we should have very, very frank discussions to ensure that we can achieve the objective of this meeting,” he said.

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