Nigeria’s electoral management body, the Independent National Electoral Commission, has formally declined to recognise the National Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party led by Kabiru Turaki, citing binding court judgments and unresolved legal disputes surrounding the party’s leadership structure.
In an official correspondence dated Monday, 22 December 2025, and signed by the Secretary of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Dr Rose Oriaran-Anthony, the commission stated that it could not accede to requests seeking official acknowledgment of the leadership list emerging from the Peoples Democratic Party National Convention held on Saturday, 15 November and Sunday, 16 November 2025, in Ibadan, the capital city of Oyo State in south-western Nigeria.
The electoral commission explained that it had been urged by representatives of the faction to upload the list of national officers purportedly elected at the convention onto its official website, a move that would signify institutional recognition. However, the commission said doing so would directly conflict with existing judicial rulings and pending litigation concerning the party’s leadership crisis.
According to the letter, the Independent National Electoral Commission made it clear that its stance was guided strictly by the rule of law and respect for judicial authority, noting that several court decisions relating to the internal leadership dispute of the Peoples Democratic Party remain valid and enforceable.
The commission further stressed that recognising any factional leadership while the matter is still before the courts would be improper and potentially undermine ongoing judicial processes. It maintained that neutrality and adherence to legal procedures remain central to its constitutional responsibilities.
Okay News reports that the leadership dispute within the Peoples Democratic Party, one of Nigeria’s major opposition parties, has intensified internal divisions and raised concerns about the party’s organisational stability ahead of future electoral activities.
Political analysts say the refusal by the Independent National Electoral Commission underscores the growing influence of judicial intervention in party affairs in Nigeria, particularly as internal party conflicts increasingly find their way into the courts.
As of the time of filing this report, the electoral commission reiterated that it would only act when all legal issues surrounding the party’s leadership have been conclusively resolved by the judiciary.
