Former Deputy National Chairman of the PDP, Chief Olabode George has condemned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for its recognition of the Wike-led faction national convention held on Sunday.
Describing the move as deceitful and dishonest, Chief George maintained that Wike and his associates had been expelled from the party during a meeting in Ibadan last November and insisted they represent only a small fraction of the PDP.
He alleged that INEC’s endorsement of the group signals a deliberate attempt to weaken the opposition ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“What INEC has done by recognizing Wike’s group can only spell doom for this country. It raises serious concerns about the future of our democracy,” George said.
He criticized the electoral body for endorsing individuals he claims have undermined the party, warning that such actions could destabilize Nigeria’s political landscape.
While expressing disappointment over the perceived lack of adherence to democratic principles and the rule of law, the PDP chieftain urged party supporters to remain calm and await the final verdict of the Supreme Court.
He concluded by calling for a level playing field for all aspirants and a return to due process in resolving the party’s internal conflicts.
In the same vein, a rival bloc within the party, supported by Governors Seyi Makinde (Oyo) and Bala Mohammed (Bauchi), has initiated legal proceedings against the Wike-aligned group.
In a statement issued by Ini Ememobong, the National Publicity Secretary of the factional National Working Committee (NWC) aligned with Makinde, the group confirmed that it has filed processes at the Supreme Court to resolve the leadership impasse.
The Makinde-backed faction expressed deep concern over the trajectory of the party, accusing the Wike group of holding a pre-Easter jamboree in contempt of ongoing proceedings at the Court of Appeal in Ibadan.
The group also alleged that the crisis is being orchestrated by the Bola Tinubu-led APC government in an attempt to foist a one-party state on Nigeria.
The crisis is further exacerbated by a recent Federal High Court ruling in Abuja, delivered by Judge Joyce Abdulmalik, which granted the Wike-aligned faction access to the PDP National Secretariat and directed security agencies to provide them with protection during their occupation of the premises.
The Judge ordered in her judgement on Monday that Mr Wike’s group be granted access to the party’s national secretariat in Abuja, which was sealed off after chaos erupted there over the scramble between the factions last year. The judge also directed relevant agencies to provide them adequate security to use the secretariat.
She held that the purported convention held in Ibadan between 15 and 16 November 2025, including the election of party officials and expulsion of some notable members of the party, violated section 287(3) of the Nigerian Constitution, as well as the party’s constitution and prior court orders.
The Wike faction, through its then acting chairperson Mohammed Abdulrahman, and secretary Samuel Anyanwu, filed the suit on 21 November last year to restrain the Kabiru Turaki-led group from representing the party and to bar the police and Stste Security Service (SSS) from granting them access to the PDP secretariat in Abuja.
“With this appeal and the relevant concomitant applications filed and served on all the parties involved, we are hopeful that sooner, rather than later, the apex court will, in the interest of democracy, expeditiously hear and adjudicate on this matter,” the Judge declared.