INEC confirms Wike-backed PDP new leadership

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has recognised the faction of the national working committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) backed by Nyesom Wike, minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The PDP’s leadership has been published on the electoral umpire’s website, with Abdulrahman Mohammed listed as the party’s national chairman.

Mohammed and other members of the NWC were elected on Sunday at the national convention held at the velodrome of the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja on Sunday.

The PDP is polarised into two factions on the heels of the crisis rocking the party with two factions laying claim to the leadership.

It would be recalled that a faction of the party, largely backed by Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State held a convention that produced Kabiru Turaki-led leadership in November in Ibadan last year.

Legal battles soon followed the convention, culminating in a February 12, 2026, hearing at the Court of Appeal.

On March 9, 2026, the court ruled that the Ibadan convention violated the Electoral Act, the Constitution, and the party’s constitution, nullifying the convention that produced Turaki and his committee.

While the March 29 convention is seen as win for the Wike-led faction as the party, the faction led by Kabiru Turaki had also asked the supreme court to restrain the Wike camp from holding the national convention.

Speaking at the convention, Wike said the party has successfully overcome the crisis of leadership that threatened its survival.

The FCT minister said loyal party members “fought and returned the party to its rightful owners”.

“Together we fought against proponents of ethnic and geographic divisions; we trounced the naysayers who abandoned the core values upon which the party was built and, in the process, arrested the party from the vice grip of those who abhor internal democracy and shun adherence to the rule of law,” Wike said.

“More importantly, we fought and returned the party to its rightful owners, the people, an accomplishment which speaks to the fundamental principle upon which the party was erected.”

Wike said grassroots members had been keeping the party stable through the crisis, adding that despite “the infidelity of opportunistic elite,” rank-and-file supporters remained steadfast.