The allegations were contained in a press statement issued on Saturday by the National Publicity Secretary of the Interim National Working Committee of the party, Ini Ememobong.
he Tanimu Turaki-led Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) faction has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of working to hijack and undermine the party, and replace its presidential candidate, former President Goodluck Jonathan.
The opposition party alleged that the electoral body is aiding efforts to weaken the PDP and pave the way for a one-party state ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The allegations were contained in a press statement issued on Saturday by the National Publicity Secretary of the Interim National Working Committee of the party, Ini Ememobong.
Ememobong also said that the party has manually submitted its list of candidates to INEC, including former President Jonathan as its presidential candidate.
According to Ememobong, the Interim National Working Committee was constituted by the PDP’s Board of Trustees and a member-requisitioned National Executive Committee after a Supreme Court judgment left the party without a legally recognised national leadership.
He said the decision establishing the interim leadership was communicated to INEC in line with the law, but the commission refused to recognise it despite repeated notifications.
He recalled that the party subsequently approached the Federal High Court in Abuja, seeking an order compelling INEC to recognise the Interim National Working Committee.
However, Ememobong criticised the judgment delivered by Justice Salim Oluwasupo Ibrahim, arguing that it contradicted existing decisions of the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal.
“The judgment reads more like an appeal on the judgement of the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal,” he said.
“It is clearly inconsistent with the extant decisions of the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal that form the foundation of our case.”
He added that the party had already filed an appeal, insisting that the lower court ventured into issues already settled by superior courts.
The PDP spokesperson also alleged irregularities surrounding the release of the Certified True Copy of the judgment.
According to him, the document was released after a considerable delay and did not fully reflect portions of the judgment delivered in open court.
“This development raises legitimate concerns, which will also be addressed through the appropriate legal processes,” he said.
Ememobong further accused INEC of abandoning its constitutional duty of neutrality, alleging that the commission deliberately withheld facts in court proceedings involving the PDP.
“The Commission’s actions have regrettably reinforced the growing public perception that it is no longer acting with the impartiality expected of the nation’s electoral umpire,” Ememobong said.
