Turaki’s PDP Faction Explodes as Commission Recognizes Wike-Backed Camp After Court Ruling

The civil war within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has entered a dangerous new phase, with the Kabiru Tanimu Turaki-led faction accusing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of taking sides in a brewing legal battle.

The outcry follows reports on Thursday that INEC has officially shifted its recognition to the caretaker committee led by Samuel Anyanwu a group heavily associated with the political machinery of FCT Minister Nyesom Wike. This move effectively sidelines the Turaki-led National Working Committee (NWC), which was formed during the party’s Ibadan convention in late 2025.

In a blistering statement, the Turaki camp slammed INEC for what it called a “premature and biased” decision. They argue that although a Federal High Court in Ibadan recently nullified their convention, the matter is currently before the Court of Appeal. By recognizing the rival camp now, Turaki’s supporters claim INEC is “jumping the gun” and interfering with the judicial process.

“INEC is not a court of law,” a spokesperson for the Turaki faction fumed. “To recognize a caretaker committee while a valid appeal is pending is a subversion of justice and a direct attempt to hand over the soul of the PDP to a specific interest group.”

The Wike-backed faction, however, has wasted no time in consolidating power. With INEC’s wind in their sails, the Anyanwu-led committee has already announced a fresh National Convention for March 2026 and has begun dissolving state chapters that remain loyal to Turaki.

The split has left the PDP with two “National Chairmen” and a confused grassroots base. While the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT) continues to back Turaki, INEC’s recognition of the Anyanwu camp means the Wike-aligned group currently holds the keys to the party’s official correspondences and electoral nominations.

As the march toward the 2027 elections begins, the “State of Harmony” within the main opposition party has completely evaporated, leaving the courts as the only remaining arbiter of who truly leads the umbrella.