The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has intervened in the escalating crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), convening an emergency closed-door meeting at its headquarters in Abuja. The intervention, chaired by INEC Chairman Prof. Joash Amupitan, brought together representatives from the two feuding factions: one led by Tanimu Turaki, supported by Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde and other PDP governors, and the opposing group led by Abdulrahman Mohammed, backed by Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Nyesom Wike.

The Turaki-led faction arrived with members of its National Working Committee (NWC), party secretariat staff, and influential elder, former Niger State governor Babangida Aliyu. The Mohammed faction, on the other hand, was accompanied by members of its national caretaker committee, including its secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, whose reinstatement as PDP National Secretary remains a contentious issue.

INEC's decision to intervene was prompted by a series of conflicting correspondences received from the PDP and growing concerns about parallel leadership structures, which threaten the party's administrative coherence and compliance with electoral regulations ahead of future polls. Prof. Amupitan, addressing the political gladiators at the start of the meeting, emphasized that INEC's actions are strictly guided by the constitution, the Electoral Act, and its internal regulations, assuring both factions of the commission's neutrality. He highlighted the importance of resolving the issues to ensure smooth elections, particularly for the area council of FCT and for Ekiti and Osun States, for which INEC had already issued a schedule of activities.

The roots of the PDP crisis predate the 2023 general elections but have significantly worsened since then. Long-standing leadership disputes and factional infighting intensified following the PDP presidential primaries and national convention, especially after the fallout between presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar and Nyesom Wike. Wike had accused the then PDP leadership under Iyorchia Ayu of marginalizing the South in the handling of the presidential primary and the selection of the vice-presidential candidate. This disagreement led to the formation of the G5 governors, also known as the Integrity Group, who opposed Atiku's candidacy based on the principle of power rotation to the South after eight years of President Muhammadu Buhari from the North. This group openly and covertly supported President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the presidential election.

Since then, the PDP has experienced a wave of defections, with governors, senators, and lawmakers moving to the ruling APC and other political platforms, further weakening its cohesion. The crisis escalated significantly in November 2025 when a PDP faction, reportedly backed by governors like Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State and Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, convened a national convention that produced a new NWC, with Tanimu Turaki emerging as national chairman. This faction also announced the expulsion of Wike and several of his allies, including former Ekiti State governor Ayodele Fayose, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, Bature Ajibade, Mao Ohuabunwa, former Imo State PDP chairman Austin Nwachukwu, former Abia State PDP chairman Amah Nnanna Abraham, former National Vice Chairman (South-South) Dan Orbih, and George Turnah. The Wike-backed group rejected these expulsions and responded by unveiling parallel National Working Committee, Board of Trustees, and National Executive Committee structures, cementing the deep division within the former ruling party.