PDP Leadership Crisis: INEC Chair Amupitan Meets Turaki, Anyanwu-led Groups

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Joash Amupitan, is holding a meeting with the leadership of the two groups of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The meeting, which is being held at the INEC headquarters in Abuja, is at the instance of the INEC chairman ahead of the FCT area council elections and those of Osun and Ekiti states scheduled for next year.

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The meeting is attended by the Tanimu Turaki-led national working committee and that of Samuel Anyanwu.

After the opening remarks of the Amupitan, who stated that the meeting was to try to understand why the commission was receiving correspondence from two groups claiming leadership of the PDP, journalists were asked to excuse themselves.

The opposition party has been embroiled in a leadership crisis between the faction loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, and the one led by a former minister, Kabiru Turaki, which led to expulsions and counter-expulsions of key members of the party.

Turaki in November called on US President Donald Trump to intervene in the internal crisis of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), claiming the country’s democracy is under threat.

Turaki, the national chairman of the PDP, made the appeal on Tuesday at the party’s secretariat, Wadata Plaza, Abuja amid a standoff between his group and another led by Samuel Anyanwu.

Chaos broke out earlier when rival groups and their supporters clashed at the party’s secretariat. Turaki, governors Bala Mohammed of Bauchi and his Oyo State counterpart, Seyi Makinde, among others had arrived at the venue but were initially prevented from entering.

Police officers had to fire teargas to disperse the crowd but Turaki and his entourage later gained access to the secretariat.

Addressing the press after the incident, the PDP chieftain said he had assumed office as the party’s national chairman.