Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has faulted the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over its handling of the leadership crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
INEC had recently stepped into the dispute by inviting representatives of the factions led by Tanimu Turaki and Abdulrahman Mohammed to its headquarters in Abuja. According to the electoral body, the intervention followed a series of letters from the party and was also influenced by preparations for the Federal Capital Territory Area Council elections scheduled for February 21, 2026, as well as the Ekiti and Osun governorship polls slated for June and July 2026.
Speaking during a media interaction with selected journalists in Ibadan on Tuesday, Governor Makinde accused INEC of misleading PDP representatives under the guise of engagement.
“Basically, this meeting you referred to—INEC invited the two groups and said they wanted to engage with the leadership of the PDP. They played our people. They invited them under the claim that they wanted to engage with the leadership of the PDP,” Makinde said.
The governor maintained that there is no faction within the PDP, insisting that the party’s leadership is clear and legitimate.
He also called on President Bola Tinubu to rein in the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, whom he accused of contributing to the party’s internal challenges.
“President Tinubu has the authority to call his minister to order and allow democracy to thrive in Nigeria,” Makinde said.
Makinde stressed that the PDP complied with all legal requirements in conducting its national convention in Ibadan, noting that INEC was duly notified, as required by law.
“We held a convention here in Ibadan and gave adequate notice to INEC, which is all that the law requires,” he stated.
He criticised the electoral commission’s posture on the matter, suggesting that INEC was deliberately avoiding its responsibilities.
“It may take INEC some time if they choose to behave like the ostrich, burying its head while the rest of its body remains exposed,” Makinde remarked.
The Oyo State governor further described the task facing the current INEC leadership as already challenging, adding that the commission should avoid complicating matters by venturing into issues it is not legally empowered to handle.
© 2025 Gossip News Now, a division of CHIEJOS HARBIAN DIGITAL MEDIA LTD. Contact us via admin@gossipnewsnow.online
