By Emmanuel Oloniruha
Abuja, Dec. 19, 2025 (NAN) – In a decisive move to preempt electoral crises, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has intervened in the internal crisis rocking Nigeria’s main opposition party. The Chairman of INEC, Prof. Joash Amupitan, on Friday convened a high-stakes meeting with the leaders of the two warring factions of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). This mediation effort comes ahead of a critical electoral sequence: the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections in February 2026, followed by the governorship elections in Ekiti (June 2026) and Osun (July 2026) states.
Addressing the gathering at the commission’s Abuja headquarters, Prof. Amupitan stated that the meeting was necessitated by a flood of “conflicting correspondences” from the PDP’s rival camps, each making contradictory requests and claims to the electoral umpire. “We felt that rubbing minds together will be a good opportunity for us to forge the way forward concerning the elections,” he explained.
This proactive step by INEC underscores a significant, often underappreciated, aspect of its mandate: to monitor and regulate the internal affairs of political parties to ensure they are stable and democratic enough to participate in elections. A fractured party with competing leaderships poses a direct threat to electoral integrity, leading to confusion over candidate nomination, party agent accreditation, and result collation.
“The FCT election is coming up on Feb. 24, 2026, while the Ekiti election will be coming up in June 2026 and that of Osun in July 2026,” Amupitan reminded the factions. “As a build-up to these elections, we have issued our schedule of activities to all political parties. We are determined to ensure we follow the provisions of the various laws.”
He emphasized that INEC’s authority and actions are firmly anchored on a “three-legged” legal regime: the Nigerian Constitution, the Electoral Act 2022, and INEC’s own regulations and guidelines. This framework is crucial for resolving disputes like the PDP’s, as it provides the criteria for recognizing legitimate party executives and candidates. The commission’s primary goal is to maintain a level playing field and prevent post-election litigation rooted in pre-election party squabbles.
The high-profile attendance highlighted the meeting’s gravity. Representing one faction were the National Chairman, Alhaji Tanimu Turaki, members of his National Working Committee (NWC), Board of Trustees (BoT) Chairman Sen. Adolphus Wabara, and a former Governor of Niger State, Dr. Babangida Aliyu. The rival faction was led by the acting National Chairman of the PDP National Caretaker Committee, Alhaji Abdulrahaman Mohammed, his NWC members, factional National Secretary Sen. Samuel Anyanwu, and Captain Umar Bature.
Following the opening remarks, the meeting proceeded into a closed-door session, where the real negotiations for a resolution were expected to take place. The outcome of this INEC-brokered dialogue will be closely watched, as it will set the tone for the PDP’s participation in the upcoming polls and test INEC’s capacity to enforce order and compliance among Nigeria’s often tumultuous political parties.
(NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
Edited by ‘Wale Sadeeq
