The leadership tussle rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) took a new turn on Thursday as the Wike-backed PDP Caretaker Committee participated in the quarterly consultative meeting of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja.
The committee, led by Acting National Chairman Abdulrahman Mohammed, attended the meeting alongside Acting National Secretary Senator Samuel Anyanwu and National Organising Secretary Umar Bature, signalling its growing assertion of authority within the opposition party.
At the INEC headquarters venue, Mohammed occupied the seat designated for the PDP National Chairman, while Anyanwu sat in the position reserved for the party’s National Secretary.
Their attendance follows a recent Federal High Court judgment in Ibadan, which nullified the PDP National Convention held on November 15, 2025, and barred a rival group led by Tanimu Turaki (SAN) from acting as national officers of the party.
The ruling effectively strengthened the position of the caretaker committee backed by former Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike, which was constituted in December 2025 to manage the affairs of the party for 60 days after internal disagreements over leadership succession.
Speaking with journalists at the venue, Anyanwu said their invitation to the INEC meeting confirmed that the committee is recognised as the legitimate leadership of the PDP “Yes, we were invited as the recognised leadership of the PDP, and we are here to participate in this crucial consultative meeting with INEC to deliberate on party matters and electoral issues,” Anyanwu stated.
He further declared that the protracted internal crisis in the party had finally been laid to rest. “The recent court judgment has effectively resolved the crisis that had been affecting the PDP. The party’s leadership remains intact under Abdulrahman Mohammed and me, and we are fully prepared to reposition the party ahead of future elections,” he added.
The INEC consultative forum, which brings together leaders of registered political parties, serves as a platform to discuss electoral preparations and strengthen collaboration between the commission and political stakeholders.
Meanwhile, the caretaker committee has reiterated its commitment to organising an inclusive national convention that will produce new substantive leaders for the PDP and reunite all factions before the 2027 general elections.
