INEC officials attend PDP national convention in Abuja
The spokesperson to the minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, Mr. Lere Olayinka, has confirmed the presence of officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) at
- By Wale Gbadebo
The spokesperson to the minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, Mr. Lere Olayinka, has confirmed the presence of officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) at the national convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The convention is ongoing at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, where delegates have gathered for leadership elections and strategic deliberations.
Organised by the Abdulrahman Mohammed-led caretaker committee, the event commenced on Sunday with delegates arriving at the stadium’s velodrome. Party members, clad in PDP-branded attire, were seen undergoing accreditation and security screening at designated points.
Key figures within the party, including Wike, caretaker committee chairman Abdulrahman Mohammed, and Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Mao Ohuabunwa, were present at the venue, which was adorned with the party’s colours and insignia.
The two-day convention is expected to produce officials who will steer the opposition party ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In a post on his X handle, Olayinka disclosed that INEC was represented by two National Commissioners, Prof. Sani Adams (SAN) and Dr. Ken Ukeagu. He added that other officials in attendance included Director, Election and Party Monitoring (EPM), Joan Arabs; Director, Legal, Rakiya Nauzo; and Director, Drafting and Clearance, Nkechi Abuh. Also listed were Mustapha Abubakar, Deputy Director, Party Legal and Liaison; Mas’ud Hassan; Rakiya Dattijo; Umar Hassan; and Babangida Shanu.
The convention is being held amid internal divisions within the party and ongoing legal disputes over a parallel convention organised by a governors’ bloc in Ibadan, Oyo State, in November 2025.
Under the PDP Constitution (2017, as amended), the National Working Committee comprises 19 members, including the National Chairman, Deputy Chairman, National Secretary and Deputy, Treasurer, Financial Secretary, Organising Secretary, Publicity Secretary, Auditor, Legal Adviser, Woman Leader, Youth Leader, and National Vice Chairmen.
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The Wike-backed faction adopted a consensus approach in selecting candidates for the leadership positions expected to guide the party over the next four years. Wike stated that reconciliation efforts would continue after the convention, noting that disagreements are not unusual in a large political party.
Despite ongoing legal challenges, the National Caretaker Working Committee, said to be aligned with Wike, maintained that no court order had been issued to halt the exercise. Its spokesperson, Jungudo Mohammed, insisted that all legal and procedural requirements had been fulfilled.
Mohammed said, “The National Caretaker Working Committee has worked tirelessly to ensure that this convention is credible, transparent, and inclusive, reflecting the collective aspirations of our members nationwide. All arrangements have been concluded to guarantee a smooth, peaceful, and successful exercise.
“The PDP remains a law-abiding institution committed to strengthening democracy in Nigeria. On recent attempts by certain individuals to disrupt this process, we urge members to remain calm and focused. The party has consistently extended the hand of reconciliation, which remains open, but we will not allow the progress and stability of our great party to be undermined.”
