The Peoples Democratic Celebration, PDP, has reportedly rejected what it describes as unwarranted interference by the Unbiased Nationwide Electoral Fee, INEC, in its inner affairs, declaring the federal government company lacks the constitutional energy to manage its conferences such because the Nationwide Government Committee, NEC, classes, until such conferences contain the election of celebration officers or candidates.
This place was made clear throughout a media interactive session held on Sunday, on the PDP Nationwide Secretariat in Abuja, the place the celebration’s Nationwide Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, addressed journalists on key developments forward of its a hundredth NEC assembly scheduled for June 30, 2025.
In accordance with Ologunagba, the PDP had duly notified INEC of the upcoming NEC assembly in keeping with established follow, though such conferences fall exterior the classes of political occasions that legally require INEC’s involvement.
“INEC has no function within the common conferences of the NWC or NEC. These are inner celebration issues, as clearly established by the Supreme Courtroom in quite a few rulings,” Ologunagba acknowledged.
He defined that below Nigeria’s legal guidelines and the PDP structure, INEC is barely required to be notified of conventions, congresses, or primaries involving the election of celebration officers or candidates.
“We didn’t state that the assembly was for electing officers, conducting primaries, or nominating candidates for elective positions. But, the Appearing Secretary of INEC, Halilu Aminu, determined to unilaterally assign a objective to our assembly,” he mentioned.
The PDP’s a hundredth NEC assembly, Ologunagba added, will assessment progress on preparations for its forthcoming nationwide conference, together with updates from the Zoning and Conference Committees constituted on the 99th NEC assembly.
“On the 99th NEC assembly, it was unanimously agreed to schedule the subsequent assembly for the thirtieth of June. The structure of the Zoning Committee and the Conference Committee was accredited. Consultations with numerous organs of the celebration and stakeholders are ongoing,” he mentioned.
The PDP spokesman additionally clarified that the PDP had complied with the 21-day notification rule and submitted its discover to INEC on Could 13, which was acknowledged by the fee on the identical day.
Nevertheless, INEC, in a response dated June 13, raised issues over the signatories to the PDP’s letter, stating that the discover was invalid as a result of it was not collectively signed by the celebration’s Nationwide Chairman and Nationwide Secretary, as required below its rules.
“Whoever indicators a letter is an inner affair of the celebration. It’s not for INEC to dictate who can or can not signal. If an Appearing Secretary signed the letter, we couldn’t have rejected it on that foundation,” he mentioned.
He accused the fee of trying to undermine the PDP and frustrate its inner processes below the guise of regulation, suggesting it was a part of a wider agenda to stifle opposition and tilt the nation towards a one-party system.
“Why this desperation to undermine political events, seemingly to push in direction of a one-party state and stifle opposition? That is push-pull considering, it’s a hallucination. The APC ought to perceive that this can be a delusion,” he warned.
Ologunagba additional questioned the motives of INEC’s Appearing Secretary, Halilu Aminu, and known as on the electoral fee to analyze his actions.
“The problem for us now, as a celebration, is to query: Who’s the Appearing Secretary working for? What’s his goal? Why is he creating an agenda for our celebration’s routine NEC assembly?” he requested.
He dismissed social media stories suggesting INEC had cancelled the PDP’s NEC assembly, describing them as false and laughable.
“INEC can not cancel our conferences. It’s the celebration’s prerogative to determine such issues. INEC has no authority to take action,” he mentioned.
Bearing on inner celebration issues, Ologunagba famous that unresolved points, such because the South East Zonal Government and the workplace of the Nationwide Secretary, could be addressed on the upcoming a hundredth NEC assembly.
