The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has officially declined a request seeking the recognition of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) headed by Kabiru Turaki.
The commission explained that existing court judgements restrain it from taking such a step, stating that it cannot grant the request to publish the list of national officers allegedly elected at the party’s National Convention held on November 15 and 16, 2025.
In a letter dated December 22, 2025, and signed by its Secretary, Dr Rose Oriaran-Anthony, and addressed to Akintayo Balogun and Co., legal representatives of the PDP, INEC said it is legally obligated to comply with final decisions of courts of competent jurisdiction that expressly prohibit it from recognising or enforcing the outcome of the convention.
INEC disclosed that the request followed a series of correspondences from different PDP legal representatives, including Taiwo Abe and Co. on November 14, 2025; Musibau Adetunbi, SAN and Co. on November 19, 2025; and Akintayo Balogun and Co. on November 21, 2025, all urging the commission to recognise and update on its website the list of national officers purportedly elected at the convention.
The Turaki-led PDP NWC is reportedly backed by Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde and Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed.
In November, the opposition party, with the support of Makinde and Mohammed, organised a national convention in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, which produced a new set of national officers.
The convention followed a series of conflicting court rulings, including decisions by Federal High Courts in Abuja that halted the exercise over alleged violations of the party’s constitution and electoral laws, while the Oyo State High Court in Ibadan cleared the PDP to proceed and directed INEC to monitor the event.
Subsequently, a faction of party members led by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, who opposed the convention, established a parallel NWC, Board of Trustees (BoT) and National Executive Committee (NEC).
The Makinde-backed PDP, through its lawyers, formally requested that INEC recognise Turaki as the party’s legitimate national chairman.
INEC, however, said it thoroughly examined the demands in light of the prevailing facts, relevant laws and, most importantly, existing court judgements directly linked to the issue.
According to the commission, two final judgements of the Federal High Court, Abuja Division, form the basis of its decision.
These are Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/2120/2025 — Austine Nwachukwu & two others v. INEC & eight others, delivered on October 31, 2025, and Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/2299/2025 — Alhaji Sule Lamido v. PDP & four others, delivered on November 14, 2025.
INEC stated that both rulings, which are final and binding on all parties, expressly restrained the commission from supervising, monitoring, recognising or giving effect “in any manner whatsoever” to the outcome of the PDP National Convention held on November 15 and 16, 2025, or any other date, pending full compliance with the court’s orders.
The commission further noted that although notices of appeal had been filed against the judgements, established legal principles hold that filing an appeal does not operate as a stay of execution.
“Until the said judgments are set aside or stayed by a competent court, the commission remains bound to obey and give full effect to them in line with Section 287(3) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended),” the letter said.
INEC also addressed an interim order issued by the Oyo State High Court in Suit No. 1/1336/2025 — Folahan Malomo Adelabi v. PDP & others, noting that the commission had already been struck out of the case for lack of jurisdiction.
It added that, in any event, an interim order cannot override or invalidate subsisting final judgements of a court of coordinate or superior jurisdiction.
The commission further revealed that the PDP had filed another suit, Suit No. FHC/IB/CS/121/2025 — PDP v. INEC, seeking an order compelling INEC to recognise the NWC and members of the NEC elected at the Ibadan convention as the party’s lawful leadership for all electoral purposes.
According to INEC, the pendency of this suit and the related appeals makes the request for recognition prejudicial.
“In the light of the above pending suits, your request is prejudicial and cannot be acceded to until the determination of the pending appeals,” the commission stated.
INEC emphasised that, in compliance with the rule of law and existing court orders, it is unable to recognise or update the list of national officers said to have emerged from the PDP National Convention of November 15 and 16, 2025.
The commission added that this position had already been clearly communicated to PDP representatives during a meeting held with the party on Friday, December 19, 2025.
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