IJOGI PENS OPEN LETTER TO INEC, “DO NOT DESTROY OUR DEMOCRACY”

URGENT REQUEST TO INEC CHAIR UPLOAD THE NAME OF ALH. TANIMU KABIRU TURAKI, SAN AS CHAIRMAN OF THE PDP INTERIM NATIONAL WORKING COMMITTEE
APPOINTED BY THE PDP BOARD OF TRUSTEES PURSUANT TO THE SUPREME
COURT JUDGMENT OF APRIL 30, 2026

To:
Professor Joash Amupitan, SAN
Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)
National Headquarters, Plot 436 Zambezi Crescent
Maitama, Abuja
Dear Professor,

I write to you as a committed member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the PDP Senatorial Candidate for the FCT in the forthcoming 2027 general elections.

My purpose is to draw your attention to the binding legal effect of the Supreme Court judgment delivered on 30th April, 2026 in Appeal No. SC/CV/164/2026, and to respectfully request that INEC immediately complies with the judgment by updating its official portal to reflect the legitimate leadership of the PDP, specifically the Interim National Working Committee (Interim NWC) chaired by Alh. Tanimu Kabiru Turaki, SAN.

SUMMARY OF RELEVANT LEGAL FACTS FROM THE SUPREME COURT JUDGMENT

The Supreme Court (Coram: Mohammed Lawal Garba, JSC; Chioma Egondu NwosuIheme, JSC; Haruna Simon Tsammani, JSC; Stephen Jonah Adah, JSC; and Abubakar Sadiq Umar, JSC) made the following definitive findings:

1. The Ibadan National Convention of November 15–16, 2025 is null and void.1.The Court held that the convention was conducted in flagrant disobedience of a subsisting order of the Federal High Court. Consequently, the National Working Committee (NWC) produced by that convention was invalidly elected. (See judgment pages 23–24, 33)

2. The PDP Board of Trustees (BoT) has legally assumed the national leadership of the party and initiated the process of acquiring the constitutional 2/3 signature of NEC members to convene a 103rd NEC meeting that appointed an Interim National Working Committee.

Following the nullification of the convention, the BoT, led by Senator Adolphus Wabara, invoked Section 32(5) of the PDP Constitution (as amended in 2017), which recognizes the BoT as the second-highest organ of the party. The Supreme Court did not disturb this arrangement; rather, the Court affirmed that the party cannot be left without a leadership structure. (See judgment pages 32–33, and the concurring dissenting opinion of Tsammani, JSC which nevertheless acknowledged the leadership vacuum) Acting under this constitutional authority, the BoT initiated and obtained the required two-thirds (2/3) signatures of National Executive Committee (NEC) members, thereby lawfully convening the 103rd NEC meeting.

3. The 103rd NEC meeting (convened by the BoT) appointed an Interim National Working Committee chaired by Alh. Tanimu Kabiru Turaki, SAN.

At that 103rd NEC meeting, held on 4th May, 2026 (after the Supreme Court judgment), a 13-member Interim NWC was duly approved, with Alh. Tanimu Kabiru Turaki, SAN as Chairman. This appointment was made to steer the party’s affairs pending the conduct of a fresh, lawful national convention. The process from BoT assumption of leadership, to the acquisition of 2/3 NEC signatures, to the convening of the 103rd NEC meeting, to the appointment of the Interim NWC is fully compliant with the PDP Constitution and the Supreme Court’s judgment.2

4. The suspension of Senator Samuel Anyanwu, Hon. Umar Bature, and Barr. Kamaldeen Ajibade, SAN was upheld by the Supreme Court.

The Court affirmed their suspension. Consequently, any letter or act by Senator Anyanwu after his suspension including his letter of 3rd November, 2025 purporting to introduce Hon. Abdulrahman Mohammed as Acting National Chairman is a legal nullity. (See judgment pages 34–35).

5. The Abdulrahman Mohammed-led NWC/Caretaker Committee is not recognized by law. Having emerged from processes that the Supreme Court nullified, and having been introduced by a suspended National Secretary (Anyanwu), that leadership structure has no legal foundation. The PDP BoT has formally declared all actions of that caretaker committee “illegal, null and void ab initio.”

LEGAL OBLIGATION ON INEC
Under Sections 222 and 223 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and the Electoral Act, 2022 (as amended), INEC has the statutory duty to:
• Monitor the organization and operation of political parties;
• Recognize and publish the legitimate leadership of political parties;
• Give effect to binding judgments of courts, especially the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court’s judgment is final and not subject to appeal. Therefore, INEC cannot lawfully continue to recognize any leadership structure that contradicts that judgment.

As of today, the only leadership structure that derives from the Supreme Court judgment, the PDP Constitution (Section 32(5)), and the subsequent lawful process of acquiring 2/3 NEC signatures to convene the 103rd NEC meeting is: 3 Interim National Working Committee of the PDP
• Chairman: Alh. Tanimu Kabiru Turaki, SAN
• Secretary: Taofeek Arapaja
• Members: (13-member list as approved by the 103rd NEC meeting)

MY RESPECTFUL REQUEST

In my capacity as a PDP Senatorial Candidate for the FCT (2027) and a stakeholder in
Nigeria’s democratic process, I humbly request that INEC:

1. Immediately update its official portal to upload the name and leadership of Alh. Tanimu Kabiru Turaki, SAN as Chairman of the PDP
Interim National Working Committee.

2. Cease any recognition of the Abdulrahman Mohammed-led NWC or
any other parallel leadership structure that is not derived from the
Supreme Court judgment and the BoT/NEC process described above.

3. Communicate this decision publicly to guide all INEC offices, state
resident electoral commissioners (RECs), and the general public.

CONSEQUENCES OF NON-COMPLIANCE
Failure by INEC to act in accordance with the Supreme Court judgment would:
• Expose INEC to legal action for contempt of court and breach of
statutory duty;
• Undermine the finality and binding nature of Supreme Court decisions;
• Create confusion in the electoral process for the 2027 general elections;
• Damage the credibility of INEC as an impartial regulator.
The rule of law demands that when the Supreme Court speaks, all other institutions
including INEC must listen and obey.

CONCLUSION

Your Excellency, the legal facts are clear and uncompromising. The Supreme Court
has settled the PDP leadership crisis. The BoT lawfully assumed leadership, obtained 4
the required 2/3 signatures of NEC members, convened the 103rd NEC meeting, and
that meeting appointed the Interim National Working Committee chaired by Alh.
Tanimu Kabiru Turaki, SAN.

I urge you, in the interest of justice, democracy, and the integrity of our electoral
process, to take immediate steps to upload his name and that of the Interim NWC on
INEC’s official portal.
Thank you for your attention to this urgent national matter.

Yours faithfully,

Adaklole Ijogi

PDP Senatorial Candidate, FCT (2027)

Copies to:
1. The President, Federal Republic of Nigeria
2. The Chief Justice of Nigeria
3. Chairman, PDP Board of Trustees – Senator Adolphus Wabara
4. Chairman, PDP Interim NWC – Alh. Tanimu Kabiru Turaki, SAN
5. All National Media Houses