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- Turaki-led bloc chooses candidates May 27
From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has charged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to redeem itself by recognising the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) Interim National Working Committee (INWC) appointed at the faction’s National Executive Committee (NEC), yesterday.
Makinde, who stated that the NEC, which was convened by the Board of Trustees (BoT), in the aftermath of the Supreme Court’s judgment on the leadership crisis, said the meeting had the backing of two-thirds of the members of the party organ.
The interim NWC with Alhaji Kabiru Tanimu Turaki as Chairman and Taofeek Arapaja as Secretary, was inaugurated and sworn in at the party’s 103rd National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the faction in Abuja.
Other members of the interim NWC are Hamza Koshe, Dr. Daniel Woyengikuro, Ihediwa Richard, Isa Abubakar, Okechukwu Daniel, Theophilus Dakas Shan, Ini Ememobong, Aribisala Idowu, Bara’u Shafi’i, Ogbu Chinenyenwa and Umar Aji.
The motion for the setting up of the interim NWC was moved by the Chairman of the Forum of State Chairmen, Anthony Aziegbemi and seconded by the Chairman of the Forum of Ex-officials, Clement Faboyede.
While pledging support for the interim leadership led by Turaki, Governor Makinde stated that INEC has an opportunity to redeem itself by accepting the outcome of the NEC meeting.
He expressed optimism that the PDP would win the presidential election, as well as governorship and legislative seats in the 2027 polls.
“Let me place it on record that when the day is about to break, that is usually the darkest moment. Yes, we as a party are going through our darkest moment right now, because the day is about to break for a new order in our country.
“We have challenges ahead of us. Do we have the capacity to take on those challenges and rise above them? Absolutely. I do not have any doubt that we have that capacity.
So, please, don’t be discouraged at all. The political situation that we are in right now can be likened to a bird that has learned to fly without perching. The hunter will also learn to shoot without missing.
“We will give all our support to the Interim National Working Committee that is about to be announced and inaugurated. And for INEC, they have the opportunity to redeem that institution.
“Because for those that are working against the continued sustenance of democracy in Nigeria, they will have their date with history. Yes, they will. So, they have the opportunity to redeem their image, ensure that what they are doing in accordance with the constitution of the Peoples Democratic Party is allowed to stand.
“It is unimaginable that in this day and time, INEC is supposed to be the one to tell people who are members of a certain political party, not the party saying, this is my member.”
The faction led by Abdulraman Mohammed has, however, dismissed the 103rd NEC meeting and the Tanimu Turaki-led Interim NWC constituted at the meeting.
Mohammed, in a statement by the National Publicity Secretary, Jungudo Mohammed, said no such meeting chaired by Sen. Wabara was convened by the leadership of the party.
He said any resolution from the said NEC meeting was null, void and of no effect. Mohammed said that the party’s constitution did not provide for the establishment of a caretaker committee.
“Even if, for the sake of argument, they possessed the legal authority to convene such a meeting (which they do not), they have once again failed to comply with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2026.
“Specifically, the mandatory requirement to give the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) a minimum of 21 days notice for such a meeting was blatantly ignored.
“There is no evidence of compliance, nor was INEC in attendance as required by law. This alone renders their actions null and void,” he said.
Mohammed said the involvement of Wabara in the matter was even troubling having been expelled at his ward level by the party for anti-party activities, following his open support for the election of Governor Alex Otti. He said the attempt to cloak those actions under the authority of the Board of Trustees (BoT) was misleading, as the BoT was clearly designated as an advisory body without any executive power.
Mohammed urged the appropriate regulatory bodies to take note and consider necessary disciplinary measures, stating that the entire episode was an attempt to mislead the public and create confusion within the party.
“We, therefore, call on all party members, stakeholders and the general public to completely disregard this illegitimate assembly and its outcomes.
“It has no constitutional basis, no legal standing and no binding authority whatsoever,” he said.
According to him, PDP remains committed to upholding its constitution, the rule of law and democratic principles, under the leadership of Mohammed and Sen. Samuel Anyanwu
Senator Wabara, who presided over the NEC meeting, explained that the BoT assumed administrative leadership, following an April 30 Supreme Court’s judgment that stripped the party of a National Working Committee (NWC) by invalidating previous conventions.
He stated that the BoT’s intervention was necessary to avoid a leadership vacuum and to rescue the nation in line with the hopes of Nigerians.
“Today, the hope of millions of Nigerians lies in the return of the PDP to power in 2027,” the BoT chairman said.
Wabara, who said it was time to reposition the PDP as the platform for Nigerians to reclaim power in 2027, urged all genuine members of the party to set aside personal interests for the greater good.
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“In the last five days, the BoT has taken bold steps to stabilise, stimulate and put our party back on solid footing.
“Such steps include engaging in very wide consultations among critical stakeholders and leveraging on the consent of two-thirds of the members of NEC to convene this crucial 103rd NEC meeting.
“We have also duly notified INEC as required by law,” the BoT chairman stated.
He urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to respect the judgment of the Supreme Court and update its portal with the elected officers of the Interim National Working Committee.
He also advised members of the interim committee to recognise that their task was enormous, noting that millions of PDP members and supporters would be looking up to them for direction.
“You must be ready to make sacrifices, foster genuine reconciliation and unity to rebuild our party and set it back to its winning ways.
“Your decisions and activities must be firm, guided by the principles of internal democracy, justice, fairness and transparency.
“We must bear in mind that the PDP is bigger than any individual or group.”
He assured them of the support of all other party organs as they lead the PDP to victory.
Governor Makinde stated that the Abdulrahman Mohammed-led NWC has no right to be at the PDP’s national secretariat.
He noted that while the party was going through its darkest moment, it possessed the capacity to overcome, saying “the day is about to break.
“Do we have challenges ahead of us? Do we have the capacity to take on those challenges and rise above them?
“Absolutely, I do not have any doubt that we have that capacity.”
Advising party members not to be discouraged, the governor pledged his total support for the interim NWC, likening the current political situation to a “bird that has learned to fly without perching,” necessitating that the “hunter also learned to shoot without missing.”
He described the move as a battle for democracy and plurality in Nigeria’s democratic space.
He insisted that the interim NWC was legally constituted, noting that two-thirds of NEC members were in attendance.
“This NEC meeting has two-thirds of NEC members in attendance. If you go to the PDP Constitution, you know who your NEC members are and two-thirds of those members came here. So, it is legally constituted,” he said.
The governor added that the NEC would write to INEC regarding the interim committee, expressing hope that the commission would allow the legally constituted authority of the party to do its job.
Turaki pledged that his team was equal to the new task and accepted the challenge wholeheartedly.
He said the interim committee would work hard not only for the PDP to be on the ballot but also to win all upcoming off-season elections and the 2027 general elections.
“I want to assure you that PDP shall field candidates for all elective offices. We will come up with a presidential candidate who will not only contest the 2027 election, but will win it for us and win it for Nigeria,” he said.
He also encouraged PDP members to remain steadfast, resilient and hopeful.
“It’s not going to be easy, but certainly, it is not impossible. PDP had done it before, it had repeated it and it will do it this time around,” Turaki said.
Meanwhile, the Turaki-led interim NWC has said that the party would hold its primaries to nominate candidates for the 2027 general election.
The interim National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, in a statement, yesterday, said the timetable for primaries and other pre-election activities, were approved at the 103rd NEC earlier in the day.
It noted that appeals on all the primaries would be entertained on May 28, while a NEC meeting to approve all nominated candidates and special convention to ratify the candidates would be held on May 29 and 30, respectively.
The party noted that “women are exempted from paying for nomination forms, they will pay only the Expression of Interest, while youths and people living with disability are to pay 50 percent fee of the nomination form for the offices of their choice.”
The Mohammed-led NWC, which enjoys the support of the FCT minister, had in a statement by its National Organising Secretary, Umar Bature, pegged the president forms at N51 million, governorship at N21 million as well as N6 million, N3 million for Senatorial, House of Representatives and House of Assembly forms, respectively.
The PDP bloc also scheduled its presidential primary for May 17 and 18, while House of Representatives, Senate, State Houses of Assembly and governorship primaries are scheduled for May 21, 23, 25 and 27, respectively
