By Our Reporter
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has waded into the crisis currently rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as it hosted the two factions of the main opposition party to an interactive meeting in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
INEC, during the meeting, which held on Friday, insisted on strengthening compliance with the 1999 Constitution as amended, the Electoral Act, and the commission’s regulations ahead of forthcoming elections in the country.
INEC Chairman, Joash Amupitan (SAN), while addressing party leaders at the meeting, said that the engagement was necessitated by a number of correspondences received from different quarters within the party, requesting the commission’s intervention on various issues.
Amupitan noted that the commission was constitutionally and statutorily mandated to monitor the activities of political parties, in addition to its responsibility of conducting elections, stressing that these obligations guided all the commission’s actions and decisions.
This was just as he informed the participants that the commission had already issued its timetable and schedule of activities to political parties as part of preparations for the forthcoming elections.
"We have decided to invite all the parties, especially the fact that we have received conflicting correspondences from the Peoples Democratic Party and we felt that by rubbing minds together, it will 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.
"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," the INEC boss stated.
Amupitan, while assuring that the commission remained on course to deliver smooth and credible polls, drew the attention to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections scheduled for 21 February 2026, as well as other elections lined up for later in the year.
He emphasised the importance of early engagement with stakeholders to ensure orderly participation and compliance with established procedures.
"The FCT election is coming up on the 1st of February 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," he said.
Factional National Secretary of PDP, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, who spoke to newsmen after the meeting, expressed satisfaction with its outcome, saying that the way the commission boss spoke to the participants showed that "it really want this party to continue to strive as the major opposition party in Nigeria."
Anyanwu expressed the readiness and preparedness of party members, assuring PDP "will come out strong and stronger."
"The takeaway from the meeting, I must say, we have met a man blessed by God with wisdom. The way the commission spoke to us shows that they really want this party to continue to strive as the major opposition party in Nigeria.
“We, as members of the party, are ready and prepared. They are looking at the issues and options of how to bring peace for us. We are yet to get a decision of INEC on the matter, but both sides spoke.
“We are all able to punch up where the problem is coming from. 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 INEC guidelines.
"Yes, we all Nigerians know that PDP has a mechanism of managing internal crisis. And that is what we are doing now. I can tell you, we will come out strong and stronger.
"Nigerians are actually looking up to PDP. Nigerians want PDP. If you go to every nook and cranny of Nigeria, everybody runs PDP. We are not going to disappoint them. This must become right," he said.
Also speaking, factional party’s national chairman, Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, said the group led by him had spoken on those issues confronting PDP, adding that INEC had listened and promised "look into what we have said very seriously."
"When we received the invite, we thought that it was in respect of an earlier request made to meet with INEC leadership and discuss and resolve some housekeeping issues. 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, with a view to looking for possible solutions that will solve what the Chairman described as lingering problems within the PDP. We have spoken with him from our own perspective. We have made presentations of what we think the issues are.
"We have 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, which have not been heard, it cannot take the place of a Court of Jurisdiction, but that they will look into what we have said very seriously," he said.
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