Turaki asserts PDP legitimacy, says  INEC recognizes  their Ekiti candidate

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), amidst an ongoing leadership crisis, witnessed a public declaration of legitimacy from one faction as its National Chairman, Tanimu Turaki, stated that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) recognizes his National Working Committee (NWC).

Turaki made the claim during the presentation of the Certificate of Return to the party’s Ekiti State governorship candidate, Oluwole Oluyede, in Abuja.

He presented INEC nomination forms for the Ekiti poll as proof, challenging any rival group to present a candidate similarly recognized by the electoral body.

The party is deeply divided, with a faction led by former chairman Umar Damagum and supported by PDP governors having elected Turaki’s NWC at a convention in Ibadan last month.

A rival camp aligned with the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, recently unveiled a separate caretaker committee, dismissing the Ibadan convention as a “jamboree.”

Addressing a gathering that included state chairmen, National Assembly members, and party elders, Turaki argued that the presence of these key stakeholders confirmed his group’s authenticity.

He later noted that the NWC under his leadership enjoys the support of 29 state chairmen and pledged to return the party to the people and reclaim power in the 2027 elections.

In related developments, the PDP National Assembly caucus expressed confidence that the party’s internal crises are surmountable.

Senator Abdul Ningi described the issues as “man-made” and solvable, urging members to unite.

The House of Representatives Minority Whip, Ali Isa, pledged the caucus’s partnership with the Turaki leadership to “save Nigerian democracy.”

About The Author

Dele Fashomi

Dele Fashomi, seasoned journalist and communication teacher, is a holder of Master of Arts degree in Communication and Language Arts from the University of Ibadan in 1992/93.

Earlier, he had bagged a Bachelor degree from the same university in 1984, after which he proceeded to the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos, in 1990, for a postgraduate diploma in Journalism.

He had done many courses in communication, including the EU-BBC Editing Course in 2002.

Mr. Fashomi combines effectively the practice, research and teaching of communication. And to date, he has published two academic works in communication: Issues in Communication Technology and Policy (2010) and Economic and Social Issues in Advertising and PR (2013).

He had his first break in the Nigerian media in Concord Newspapers in 1990 and today, he has over two and half decades experience earned in several newspapers.

He has been part of many start-ups, such as The Republic (1987), The Comet (1999), The Anchor 2001 – 2002; Sun Newspapers (2003); Westerner newsmagazine (2005 – 2010) as Editor; National Life (2011) as Sunday Editor, and Newswatch Newspapers (2012- 2016) as Daily Editor.

Dele Fashomi is now the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of Newstide247.com newspaper online, which he started in July 2015. He is also into biography writing, with many books in his trail, some of which he wrote alone and one he co- authored with his mentor, Mr Dare Babarinsa, entitled:  Olabiyi Durojaiye – DARE TO BE DiFFERENT. He also guided and collaborated with Pa Olatunji Odusanya in writing his autobiography – AGAINST ALL ODDS. There are many other books in the works under his pen.

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