The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declined a request to recognise the national working committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led by Kabiru Turaki.
The Turaki-led PDP NWC has the support of Seyi Makinde, governor of Oyo, and Bala Mohammed, governor of Bauchi.
The electoral body said its decision was based on several court judgements.
In November, the faction backed by Makinde and Mohammed held a national convention in Ibadan, Oyo State, which produced a new set of national officers.
The convention followed a series of conflicting court judgements, with some federal high courts in Abuja halting the exercise over alleged breaches of party rules, while the Oyo State High Court allowed the convention to proceed and instructed INEC to monitor it.
A group led by Nyesom Wike, minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), opposed the convention and later established a parallel NWC, board of trustees, and national executive committee.
Following the convention, the Makinde-supported PDP asked INEC, through its legal counsel, to recognise Turaki as the party’s legitimate national chairman.
In a letter dated December 22 to Akintayo Balogun & Co, PDP’s lawyers, INEC said the matter is still sub judice and it cannot take any administrative action that might pre-empt court outcomes.
The commission stated that it would not update its records to reflect any changes in national leadership until ongoing court cases are resolved.
“In the light of the above pending suits, your request is prejudiced and cannot be acceded to until the determination of the pending appeals,” the letter reads.
“In the circumstances, and in obedience to the rule of law and subsisting court orders, the commission is unable to accede to the demand to recognise or update the list of the national officers said to have emerged from the PDP National convention of 15th-16th November 2025.”
