Wike-Backed PDP Faction Attends INEC Quarterly Meeting as Recognized Party Representatives.

In a significant shift in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leadership crisis, the Nyesom Wike-backed Caretaker Committee was formally recognized by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) during its quarterly consultative meeting in Abuja on Thursday, February 5, 2026.

The committee—represented by Acting Chairman Abdulrahman Mohammed, Acting Secretary Senator Samuel Anyanwu, and National Organizing Secretary Umar Bature—took the official seats reserved for the party’s national leadership. This move follows a Federal High Court ruling in Ibadan on Friday, January 30, 2026, which nullified the party’s November 2025 National Convention and barred the rival Tanimu Turaki-led faction from claiming leadership.

Prior to the judgment, PDP governors had backed the Ibadan Convention that produced Turaki and members of the National Working Committee for a four-year tenure.

However, the FCT Minister, alongside his allies Abdulrahman Mohammed and Senator Samuel Anyanwu, insisted they remained the Acting National Chairman and Acting National Secretary, respectively.

Even though the governors facilitated a transition from former Chairman Umar Damagum to Turaki ahead of Damagum’s tenure expiration on December 9, the Wike-aligned camp established a 13-member caretaker committee on December 8, naming Mohammed, Anyanwu, and others to serve with a 60-day mandate.

In a major development following the Ibadan Federal High Court ruling, the Nyesom Wike-aligned PDP Caretaker Committee was officially hosted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja on Thursday.

While both the governors’ bloc and the Wike-backed faction had previously struggled for formal recognition, INEC’s decision to seat Abdulrahman Mohammed and Senator Samuel Anyanwu in the official “Chairman” and “Secretary” slots signals a shift in the commission’s stance. This comes after the court nullified the November 2025 Ibadan Convention, effectively stripping the Tanimu Turaki (SAN) faction of its leadership status.

The Current Factional Stance

• The Caretaker Committee (Wike-Aligned): Acting Secretary Anyanwu stated that their invitation to the INEC meeting confirms their status as the party’s legitimate leaders. He hailed the court’s decision for “resolving the crisis” and pledged to organize a fresh, legally sound national convention to elect a permanent National Working Committee (NWC).
• The Turaki Faction (Governors-Backed): National Publicity Secretary Ini Ememobong announced that the group has already briefed its lawyers to appeal the Ibadan judgment. Turaki described the ruling as “academic,” insisting that his NWC remains legally intact while they pursue a stay of execution and further legal remedies.