Officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission were present on Sunday as the Peoples Democratic Party commenced its national convention at the Moshood Abiola Stadium, Abuja, according to an aide to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
The minister’s spokesperson, Lere Olayinka, disclosed that senior INEC officials were in attendance at the convention venue, where proceedings began with the arrival of delegates at the stadium’s velodrome.
Party members, adorned in PDP-branded outfits, were seen undergoing accreditation and security screening at various entry points, as activities gathered momentum.
Prominent stakeholders, including Wike, the chairman of the caretaker committee, Abdulrahman Mohammed, and the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Mao Ohuabunwa, were also present. The venue was decorated in the party’s colours and insignia.
The convention, slated to hold between Sunday and Monday, is expected to produce a new set of party leaders who will guide the opposition party ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In a post on his X handle, Olayinka listed members of the INEC delegation to include National Commissioners, Prof. Sani Adams (SAN) and Dr Ken Ukeagu. He added that other officials present were Joan Arabs, Director of Election and Party Monitoring; Rakiya Nauzo, Director of Legal; Nkechi Abuh, Director of Drafting and Clearance; alongside Mustapha Abubakar, Mas’ud Hassan, Rakiya Dattijo, Umar Hassan, and Babangida Shanu.
The convention is taking place amid internal disagreements within the party and ongoing legal disputes linked to a previous convention organised by a faction of PDP governors in Ibadan, Oyo State, in November 2025.
According to the PDP Constitution (2017, as amended), the party’s National Working Committee comprises 19 members, including the National Chairman, National Secretary, National Organising Secretary, National Publicity Secretary, and other key officers.
Earlier reports indicated that a faction aligned with Wike had opted for a consensus arrangement in selecting candidates for the various positions, with the new leadership expected to serve for the next four years.
Wike had, however, assured that reconciliation efforts would continue after the convention, noting that disagreements were not unusual in a political party of such size.
Despite the legal tussles, the National Caretaker Working Committee maintained that no court order had been issued to stop the exercise.
The committee’s spokesperson, Jungudo Mohammed, said the party had fulfilled all necessary legal and procedural requirements.
He said the committee was committed to conducting a credible, transparent and inclusive convention, urging members to remain calm despite attempts by some individuals to disrupt the process.
Mohammed added that while the party remained open to reconciliation, it would not allow actions capable of undermining its stability and progress.