The Pathfinder
Wednesday December 24, 2025
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The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declined to recognise the outcome of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Convention held in Ibadan in November 2025, citing binding court judgments and ongoing legal proceedings.
However, the NWC-led by Kabiru Turaki (SAN) faulted the INEC for withholding recognition of its leadership, insisting that there is “in law and fact” no faction within the party.
In a letter dated 22 December 2025 and signed by the Secretary to the Commission, Dr Rose Oriaran-Anthony, INEC said it could not recognise or update the names of PDP national officers said to have emerged from the convention because of subsisting court orders restraining such action.
INEC explained that it received several letters from lawyers representing the PDP, requesting that the Commission recognise the convention held on 15–16 November 2025 and reflect the names of the newly elected National Working Committee members on its website.
However, the Commission said it carefully reviewed the requests in line with existing laws and court decisions and found that it was legally restrained from taking such steps.
INEC referred to two judgments of the Federal High Court in Abuja, including Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/2120/2025 delivered on 31 October 2025 and Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/2299/2025 delivered on 14 November 2025.
According to the Commission, both judgments expressly barred INEC from supervising, monitoring, recognising or accepting the outcome of the PDP convention held in November 2025 or any other date, pending full compliance with court orders.
While acknowledging that appeals have been filed against the judgments, INEC stressed that an appeal does not amount to a stay of execution.
The Commission said it remains bound by law to obey the judgments until they are set aside or stayed by a competent court, in line with Section 287(3) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.
INEC also addressed claims that interim orders from the Oyo State High Court supported recognition of the Ibadan convention. It clarified that it had already been struck out of that suit for lack of jurisdiction and added that interim orders cannot override final judgments of courts of coordinate or superior jurisdiction.
The electoral body further disclosed that another case is still pending before the Federal High Court in Ibadan, filed by the PDP itself, seeking to compel INEC to recognise the party’s leadership allegedly elected at the convention.
According to INEC, recognising the PDP leadership under these circumstances would be prejudicial and contrary to the rule of law, given the multiple pending cases and unresolved appeals.
The Commission said it had clearly communicated its position to the PDP leadership during a meeting at INEC headquarters on 19 December 2025.
INEC reaffirmed its commitment to due process, judicial authority and the Constitution, assuring stakeholders that it would continue to act strictly within the law.
Meanwhile, the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led by Kabiru Tanimu Turaki (SAN) has faulted the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for withholding recognition of its leadership, insisting that there is “in law and fact” no faction within the party.
The reaction followed INEC’s decision to decline a request by the Turaki-led PDP to recognise the NWC that emerged from the party’s national convention held in Ibadan, Oyo State, in November, citing pending court cases arising from the disputed exercise.
The Turaki-led NWC is backed by Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde and his Bauchi State counterpart, Bala Mohammed.
The November convention, which produced a new set of national officers, followed a series of conflicting court rulings. While some Federal High Courts in Abuja issued orders restraining the PDP from holding the convention over alleged breaches of its constitution and the Electoral Act, an Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan cleared the party to proceed and directed INEC to monitor the exercise.
A rival faction of the party opposed to the Ibadan convention, led by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, later announced a parallel national working committee, board of trustees (BoT) and national executive committee (NEC).
Subsequently, the Makinde-backed PDP formally wrote to INEC, requesting the commission to recognise Turaki as the party’s authentic national chairman and to update its records accordingly.
However, INEC, in its response, said it would not update its records to reflect any changes in the PDP’s national leadership until all court cases challenging the convention had been fully resolved.
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