‘Purely 419’ — Wike, Turaki Allies Engage in Fresh Political Showdown

The crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has deepened as the faction supported by the Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike and the Tanimu Turaki-led faction traded words over rival Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) nomination forms, conflicting candidates’ lists and issues arising from the party’s primaries ahead of 2027 general elections.

The National Publicity Secretary of the Wike-backed faction, Jungudo Mohammed, dismissed the activities of the Turaki faction insisting that they would not affect the party’s chances in the 2027 polls.

Mohammed dismissed the rival faction’s actions as “419,” saying its claims will eventually fail.

We are not concerned at all about what these people are doing, and we will not be concerned. What they are doing will not in any way affect the chances of the PDP at the polls come 2027,” he told The PUNCH.

“We have always said that lies and propaganda have expiry dates. This one is just like the convention they held, which we told the entire world could not stand and did not stand.

So all these they are doing is best described as the very many faces of 419, fraud. “Nigerians are now aware and conscious of their 419.”

INEC Forms Dispute
The row broke out after rival nomination forms and candidates’ lists emerged from both camps.

In a split decision delivered on April 30, the Supreme Court had nullified the PDP national convention held in Ibadan on November 15 and 16, 2025, which produced the Turaki-led leadership.

After the judgement, the party’s Board of Trustees, led by Adolphus Wabara, reappointed Turaki and others into an Interim National Working Committee.

But the PDP leadership recognised by INEC led by Abdulrahman Mohammed and National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu, continued with the sale of nomination forms and was given access codes to upload its candidates.

The Turaki faction also issued nomination forms to aspirants even without INEC’s recognition and access codes.

Mohammed urged the INEC to verify the authenticity of the nomination forms displayed by the rival faction and prosecute any person caught forging documents.

“If those documents truly came from INEC, INEC is in the best position to answer that because we are not the producers of the INEC nomination forms,” he said.

But if not from them, then it is necessary to start criminal proceedings.

“And besides, when they fill these forms, where will they take them to?” How would they get them up there? Do they have the access codes to upload their data? It’s just 419. It’s just 419.

Turaki Faction Reply
The Publicity Secretary of the Turaki-led Interim National Working Committee, Ini Ememobong, dismissed claims that the nomination forms of the faction were fake, in a reaction.

He said that it is only INEC that can determine the authenticity of the documents.

“The access code is not a problem, INEC will do the needful at the appropriate time. “If they are claiming that the forms are fake, it is not in their mouth to say that,” Ememobong said.

“The law is clear that only the maker of a document can determine the authenticity of a document. We’re busy with very serious things, including candidate preparations. We are also involved in litigation, so we are too busy to engage in a dispute with them.”

He acknowledged the crisis had taken a toll on the party but said his faction was carefully managing the situation.

“The damage is already there. But in every battle, it’s not just what you go through. It’s how you go through it. We are carefully stepping around all the landmines, and, in the end, the end will justify the means,” he said.

He said three major cases were pending before the courts and was optimistic about the cases favouring his faction.

“We are not going to cave in from this. We are obviously on the path of the law and the facts are aligned with us,” he said.