The feuding factions of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), on Friday met with the Independent National Electoral Commisson (INEC), expressing readiness for a truce.
Earlier before the commencement of the closed-door meeting, Chairman of INEC, Prof. Joash Amupitan (SAN), said that the meeting was a way of seeking solution to the lingering crisis rocking the party.
Arise News reports that the PDP has been factionalised into two factions, the one led by Senator Samuel Anyanwu, who has held on to the position of its National Secretary and backed by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike and the other led by Kabiru Turaki (SAN) and backed by Governors Bala Mohammed and Seyi Makinde of Bauchi and Oyo States.
In separate interviews with journalists after their meeting held at the INEC National Headquarters in Abuja, Anyanwu and Turaki, shed light on the meeting.
Anyanwu who described Amupitan as a man who has been blessed by God with wisdom for calling the meeting, said that the way they were addressed by INEC shows that the commission really wants the PDP to continue to strive as the major opposition party in Nigeria.
“So they (INEC) are looking at the issues and options on how to bring peace for us. So we are yet to get a decision of National Executive Committee (NEC) on the matter, but both sides spoke,” he said.
He added that both factions were able to bring up the loopholes and the source of the problem.
“It has to do with grief, aggression and ego of some people. As a matter of fact, as a responsible party, we believe in the rule of law, the electoral guidelines and the NEC guidelines.
“Yes, we all, Nigerians know that PDP has a mechanism of managing internal crisis. And that is what we are doing now. And I can tell you, we will come out strong and stronger.”
The National Chairman of the PDP from the Oyo convention, Turaki, quoted INEC as saying they will look into the issues very seriously.
He said, “We were invited last night by the commission to attend the meeting this morning. Now, when we received the invite, we thought that it was in respect of an earlier request.
“When we arrived this morning, however, we discovered that some former members of our party, who had earlier been expelled, were also invited.
“According to INEC, it is with a view to looking for possible solutions to what the Chairman described as lingering problems within the People’s Democratic Party. So, we have spoken with him from our own perspective. We’ve made presentation of what we think the issues are.
“And we’ve spoken to those issues. And INEC had listened to us and said, even though that there are matters that are before the Court of Appeal, and matters have not been heard, and INEC cannot take the place of a Court of competent jurisdiction, but they will look into what we have said very seriously.”
Turaki was however evasive on the faction recognised by INEC.
He said, “Where elders, for instance, sit down to settle a land dispute between brothers or between people who are laying different claims to a land, certainly, elders will know that one of those people is a legitimate owner, and the other person may be claiming to be the owner.
“But at the end of the day, everybody will be heard by the elders so that at the end of the day, nobody will say that elders came, they spoke to us, have not been given opportunity of a hearing.
“So I think what they have done, in the spirit of wanting to reconcile us, I think it’s something that was proper. If you are inviting us, and then you are not inviting other people who are claiming to be what they are not, then probably it will be us talking to ourselves.
“And so I don’t see any difference in what you’re saying. I don’t see any problem with that. I don’t.”
Amupitan said the meeting the meeting is important because of the forthcoming off-cycle elections.
He said, “The FCT election is coming up on February 1 2026, while the Ekiti election will be coming up in June 2026, and Osun in July 2026. And as a build-up to these elections, we have issued our own schedule of activities to all the political parties, and we are on course to ensure that we have a very smooth election at the area council of FCT and at the offshore states.
“We have decided to invite all the parties, especially the fact that we have received conflicting correspondences from the People’s Democratic Party and we felt that by rubbing minds together, we it be a good opportunity for us to forge the way forward concerning the elections. And I’m happy that this morning, very top officials are present here so that we can discuss as a family and see how the issues can be resolved and we move forward.
“We are guided by the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Electoral Acts, and the regulations that have been made by INEC. So we are mindful of the need for us to maintain the sanctity of the constitution of Nigeria, which is the ground norm, as well as the Electoral Acts and the guidelines.
“Actually, INEC sits on the tripod of three legal regimes, the Constitution, the Electoral Acts, and the regulations that have been made. So we are determined to ensure that we follow the provisions of the various laws, the Constitution, and the regulations that we have made.”
Friday Olokor
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