How INEC Finally Resolved The PDP Leadership Crisis

The ongoing leadership tussle within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) appears to be tipping in favour of the Kabiru Turaki-led National Working Committee (NWC), as senior party figures interpret recent actions by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as a practical endorsement of the faction’s legitimacy.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

This perception persists despite the public resistance and claims from the rival faction headed by Senator Samuel Anyanwu.

According to top PDP insiders, several official steps taken by INEC have all but settled the question of which leadership the commission recognizes.

One key development was INEC’s physical monitoring of the Osun governorship primary, with five officials present for the exercise. The official notice for the primary—signed by the Turaki-led NWC that emerged from the December 8 convention—was accepted by the Commission.

Party confidants say this oversight by INEC strongly suggests recognition of Turaki’s leadership.

“From our standpoint, there shouldn’t be any debate. The Turaki-led NWC is the leadership INEC recognises—that is the reality,” a party source told Vanguard.

He added, “INEC was physically present in Osogbo on Tuesday. They monitored a primary officially notified by the Turaki team. That tells you everything.”

In another instance, INEC declined to act on a letter sent by the Anyanwu group seeking a postponement of the Ekiti congresses and governorship primary, citing failure to meet procedural requirements—specifically, that the notice lacked signatures of the chairman and secretary acknowledged by INEC.

“What happened in Ekiti was quite simple. The letter wasn’t signed by the recognised officers. So INEC naturally couldn’t act on it,” the source said.

He further revealed that the party had already acknowledged a previous letter from INEC rejecting efforts by the Anyanwu-led group to delay the Ekiti process, insisting that documentation exists to prove this.

“To be honest, INEC was even pushing the NWC to conclude the Osun primary so we would not miss the statutory deadline. Failure would have left us without a candidate, which would have been disastrous ahead of 2027,” he added.

The source dismissed talk of a deep split, arguing that the situation does not meet the PDP’s historical definition of a faction.

He explained that a faction can only be declared when members walk out of a convention and immediately establish a parallel structure—an incident that did not occur at the December 8 convention.

“So, technically, there is no faction in the PDP today,” he stressed.

The PDP leadership crisis has lingered since the December convention produced competing claims to authority. While INEC’s recent actions appear to affirm one side, definitive resolution is expected next week when a court in Ibadan delivers judgment on the legality of the December 8 exercise.