PDP Crisis Deepens as INEC Rejects Wike’s Candidate Muhammed for Acting Nat’l Chair

The Independent National Electoral Com­mission (INEC) has rejected the Nyesom Wike backed Alhaji Abdulrahman Mu­hammed as Acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Muhammed and Sen. Samuel Anyan­wu had jointly written a letter to INEC notifying the commission of the post­ponement of PDP Ekiti State congress/governorship primary.

The letter to INEC signed by Mu­hammed and Anyanwu dated November 5, 2025, said, “We wish to inform you that the PDP Ekiti State congress and governorship primary slated for November 8th, 2025, has been postponed due to logistics reasons constraining this exer­cise. A new date will be formally communicated when decided.” ­

INEC, in its response dated November 10 and signed by Mrs. Rose Oriaran Anthony, Secretary to the commission, said that their notice was not in compliance with the requirement of part 2(12)3 of the Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties, and as such rejected it because the notice was not signed by Amb. Umar Dama­gum, the National Chairman of the party.

INEC response reads: “The commission draws your atten­tion that the notice is not in com­pliance with the requirement of part 2(12)3 of the Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties, 2022 that provides ‘the National Chairman and National Secre­tary of the Party shall jointly sign the notice of convention, congress, conference or meeting and submit same to the commis­sion,’ be guided.

“The commission hereby in­form you that it has rejected your submission, for none compliance with the requirements of the Elec­toral Act.”

The Board of Trustees (BoT) has strongly also condemned the invasion of the party’s national secretariat by what they described as expelled elements, “who on Tuesday, 18th November, 2025 led compromised security person­nel and armed thugs to unleash violence on party members in an attempt to forcefully take over the complex.”

The BoT also condemned the action of the “expelled ele­ments who mobilised the thugs to attempt to prevent the elected members of the National Work­ing Committee (NWC) led by the new National Chairman, Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, SAN, and accom­panied by the governor of Bau­chi State and Chairman of PDP Governors’ Forum, Senator Bala Mohammed, his Oyo State coun­terpart, Engr. Seyi Makinde and other party leaders from gaining access into the complex.”

The BoT, in a statement by its Chairman, Sen. Adolphus Wa­bara said, “Tear gas was fired at the governors and party leaders while the thugs meted unbridled violence on the PDP national sec­retariat.

“The BoT notes with dismay the involvement of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja, Barr. Nyesom Wike (also expelled from the party), who came to the scene with heavy se­curity in apparent solidarity with the invaders.”

The board salutes the courage and resilience of the governors, NWC and BoT members, other party leaders, teeming members and supporters for resisting the invaders.

The BoT said it stands firmly with the new NWC in full endorse­ment of the outcome of the Elec­tive National Convention held in Ibadan, Oyo State on the 15th and 16th of November 2025.

“The convention was con­vened in strict compliance with the party’s constitution, and guidelines, the Electoral Act, all extant regulations, and it rep­resents the collective will of dele­gates and stakeholders of the PDP across the country,” the BoT said.

The BoT therefore strongly de­nounces the statements, actions and media pronouncements by individuals who were lawfully expelled from the party.

“Their attempts to undermine the legitimacy of the Ibadan con­vention and create confusion within the party structure are not only mischievous but also constitute a direct assault on the principle of internal democracy in our country,” the board said.

The BoT called on the Inspec­tor-General of Police to investigate the wave of attacks on the PDP national secretariat and ensure that those responsible are held to account, adding, “Democracy thrives only where institutions remain impartial, professional, and insulated from partisan ma­nipulation.

“As the conscience of the par­ty, the BoT remains committed to safeguarding the unity and dem­ocratic values of the PDP and ensuring that the mandate freely given by party members at the Ibadan convention is respected.

“The board therefore urges the new NWC not to be deterred but remain focused on rebuilding and repositioning our party as we march to victory in the 2027 gener­al elections.”

Meanwhile, police on Wednes­day sealed off the national secre­tariat of the PDP, after showdown on Tuesday.

The party headquarters is sealed with a huge barbed wire barrier by the police. It was gath­ered that the order to seal the par­ty came from above.

Even though the contending groups were nowhere close to the party’s secretariat on Wednesday, it was gathered that they were having their separate meetings not open to the media.

Recall that the party witnessed heavy clash on Tuesday between Tanimu Turaki-led National Working Committee (NWC) and the Nyesom Wike backed group, where several people including Governors Bala Mohammed and Seyi Makinde were teargassed.

Turaki had said after assuming office on Tuesday that “we have driven them out of the secretariat, and as you can see, I have entered my office, I have assumed leader­ship as the elected national leader.”

He had, however, appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to call the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Nyesom Wike to order.