The spokesperson to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, Mr Lere Olayinka, has confirmed the presence of officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission at the national convention of the Peoples Democratic Party holding at the Moshood Abiola Stadium in Abuja.
The convention, organised by the Abdulrahman Mohammed-led caretaker committee, commenced on Sunday as delegates arrived at the velodrome of the stadium for accreditation and security checks. Many attendees were seen dressed in party-branded attire, while top figures, including Wike, caretaker committee chairman Abdulrahman Mohammed, and Board of Trustees Chairman Mao Ohuabunwa, were present at the venue adorned in PDP colours and symbols.
The exercise, scheduled to run from Sunday to Monday, is expected to produce party officials who will lead the affairs of the opposition party ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In a post on his X handle, Olayinka disclosed that INEC was represented by two National Commissioners, Prof Sani Adams (SAN) and Dr Ken Ukeagu, alongside other senior officials including Joan Arabs, Rakiya Nauzo, Nkechi Abuh, Mustapha Abubakar, Mas’ud Hassan, Rakiya Dattijo, Umar Hassan and Babangida Shanu.
The convention is taking place amid an internal crisis within the PDP and ongoing legal disputes over a previous convention held by a governor-backed bloc in Ibadan, Oyo State, in November 2025. Despite the dispute, the caretaker committee maintained that it had not received any court order stopping the exercise.
According to the PDP constitution, the convention is expected to elect members of the 19-member National Working Committee, including the National Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, Organising Secretary, Publicity Secretary, Legal Adviser, Woman Leader and Youth Leader, among others.
Earlier reports indicated that a faction backed by Wike adopted a consensus approach in selecting candidates expected to steer the party for the next four years. Speaking on the development, Wike said reconciliation efforts would continue after the convention, noting that internal disagreements were not unusual in a large political party.
The committee’s spokesperson, Jungudo Mohammed, said all legal and procedural requirements had been met, assuring that the convention would be credible, transparent and inclusive. He urged party members to remain calm amid attempts by some individuals to disrupt the process, adding that the party remained committed to strengthening democracy and keeping the door of reconciliation open.
