The national working committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), led by Kabiru Turaki, has faulted the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for meeting with the faction backed by Nyesom Wike, the minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

On Thursday, the electoral umpire held a meeting with chairpersons of political parties, including Abdulrahman Mohammed, who heads a caretaker committee set up by the Wike faction.

In a statement, Ini Ememobong, spokesperson of the Turaki faction, described Mohammed’s attendance as “vexatious”, adding that INEC is expected to be an unbiased umpire.

He said there are ongoing cases before the court of appeal seeking the recognition of Turaki as the authentic party chair, noting that the electoral body should have exercised restraint.

“This action, though ordinarily vexatious and capable of causing widespread breach of peace, will be met with all possible legal response,” the statement reads.

The PDP spokesperson said INEC has no power to impose leaders on the party.

Ememobong called on party members to remain calm as they await the outcome of the legal battles over the leadership crisis.

The opposition party is polarised into two factions.

Last month, a federal high court in Ibadan, the capital of Oyo, nullified the national convention held in the state on November 15, 2025.

In the ruling, Uche Agomoh, the presiding judge, declined the Turaki-led PDP’s request for an order to compel INEC to recognise the national convention.

Agomoh barred the Turaki-led NWC from parading itself as the party’s leadership, saying the convention was organised in flagrant disregard of the court orders.

The judge ruled that PDP cannot disobey court orders and then approach the court to seek judicial approval for actions taken in defiance of those orders.

The judge further held that the PDP can only operate through the caretaker committee until a proper and lawful national convention is held.

Turaki, a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), criticised the verdict, saying the judge granted reliefs that were neither requested nor argued by any of the parties.

Turaki said the party has filed a notice of appeal as well as a motion for stay of execution of the judgement, adding that the convention remains “legally intact, firmly in place, and fully committed to the ongoing rebirth” of the party.

The convention was backed by Seyi Makinde, governor of Oyo, and Bala Mohammed, governor of Bauchi.

The national convention was preceded by a series of conflicting court judgements, with some rulings from federal high courts in Abuja halting the event over alleged breaches of party constitution and electoral laws, while the Oyo state high court in Ibadan cleared the PDP to proceed with the exercise and directed INEC to monitor it.

Wike and his allies were expelled from the party at the convention.

The Wike group would later form a parallel NWC, a board of trustees (BoT), and a national executive committee (NEC).

In December, INEC rejected the request to recognise the Turaki-led NWC, citing multiple court judgements for its decision.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has condemned the reported massacres in parts of Kwara, Katsina and Benue states, describing them as a grim indication that Nigeria has become a “killing field.”

In a statement, Atiku said the scale and frequency of the attacks reflect a catastrophic failure of the state to protect its citizens, particularly the most vulnerable.

Atiku criticized what he termed routine condemnations issued after mass burials, insisting that such responses are no longer acceptable.

According to him, security efforts must shift from being reactive to proactive, deliberate and preventive.

He warned that communities repeatedly targeted by attackers should not be left as open hunting grounds for criminals.

Expressing deep pain over the killings, the former vice president called on the Federal Government, state authorities and local communities to act decisively and in unity to halt the violence.

He stressed that the killing of even one Nigerian constitutes an unforgivable failure of governance.

Posting on X, Atiku wrote: “The reported massacres in parts of Kwara, Katsina and Benue are a damning confirmation that Nigeria has descended into a killing field.

” NThe scale and frequency of these attacks expose a catastrophic failure of the state to protect the lives of its citizens, especially the most vulnerable.

“Empty condemnations after mass burials are no longer acceptable. Security must be proactive, deliberate and preventive, not reactive. Communities repeatedly attacked must not be left as open hunting grounds for criminals.

“I am deeply pained by these killings. I call on the Federal Government, states and communities to act decisively and in concert to end this bloodletting.

“The murder of even one Nigerian is an unforgivable failure. -AA”