The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has recognised the national working committee produced by the Peoples Democratic Party faction aligned with Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike, in a development that sharpens the party’s internal leadership crisis ahead of the 2027 political cycle.
The move came a day after the faction held its convention in Abuja, where Abdulrahman Mohammed emerged as national chairman and Senator Samuel Anyanwu was returned as national secretary. The convention reinforced the position of the Wike-backed bloc, which has insisted it represents the lawful leadership structure of the party.
INEC’s public political parties record now reflects Abdulrahman Mohammed as PDP national chairman and Samuel Anyanwu as national secretary. That public listing has become the clearest administrative sign yet that the commission is, at least for now, treating the Wike-backed leadership as the recognised national officers of the party.
The recognition adds a fresh twist to a dispute that has left the main opposition party divided between rival camps over control of its national structure. The battle has combined internal party rivalry with court actions, public statements and competing conventions.
The legal pressure on the rival camp also increased on Monday after a Federal High Court in Abuja again nullified the November 2025 Ibadan convention of the opposing PDP faction and barred INEC from recognising the outcome of that gathering.
That ruling strengthens the standing of the Wike-aligned bloc for now, but it is unlikely to end the broader power struggle inside the PDP. With preparations for the 2027 electoral season already shaping political calculations, the leadership conflict could affect the party’s cohesion, strategy and public positioning in the months ahead.
