…INEC intervention was necessitated by a series of conflicting letters received from the party.
ABUJA, NIGERIA- The iNews Times | The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Friday convened a meeting with the two rival factions of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at its Abuja headquarters in an effort to resolve the party’s lingering leadership crisis.
The engagement, held behind closed doors, brought together the faction led by Tanimu Turaki and the group headed by Abdulrahman Mohammed, which is backed by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.
Speaking at the opening of the meeting, INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, said INEC intervention was necessitated by a series of conflicting letters received from the party. He stressed that INEC’s actions were strictly guided by the Constitution, the Electoral Act and its regulations, while assuring both factions of the commission’s neutrality.
Amupitan explained that INEC had already released its timetable of activities for political parties ahead of upcoming elections and was determined to ensure hitch-free polls in the FCT area councils as well as in Ekiti and Osun states.
According to him, the decision to bring both sides together was to create an opportunity for dialogue and chart a way forward regarding the elections.
He added that the presence of top party officials at the meeting would help facilitate frank discussions and promote internal resolution, while underscoring INEC’s commitment to upholding the sanctity of the Constitution and relevant electoral laws.
Turaki attended the meeting alongside members of his national working committee, secretariat staff and former Niger State Governor, Babangida Aliyu. Mohammed was accompanied by members of his national caretaker committee, including its secretary, Senator Sam Anyanwu.
Following Amupitan’s opening remarks, the meeting moved into a closed-door session.
