The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has rejected a notice by the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to convene its National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting on 30 June, over procedural non-compliance.
INEC communicated its decision through a letter dated 13 June, signed by its acting Secretary, Hau’ru Aminu, and addressed to the PDP acting National Chairperson, Umar Damagun.
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In the letter, the commission faulted the notice for failing to comply with Part 2(12)(3) of the 2022 INEC Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties, which requires that notices for such meetings must be jointly signed by both the national Chairperson and the national secretary of the political party.
“The commission draws your attention to the fact that the notice is not in compliance with the requirement of Part 2(12)(3) of the Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties, 2022, which provides that ‘the National Chairman and National Secretary of the party shall jointly sign the notice of convention, congress, conference or meeting and submit same to the Commission. Be guided,” the letter reads.
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The rejection is another political setback for the PDP, which has been struggling with internal leadership disputes and legal battles.
During its 99th NEC meeting in May, the party faced disruptions when its national secretariat was sealed by the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) over alleged non-payment of ground rents, less than 24 hours before the meeting.
The meeting was eventually relocated to the party’s presidential campaign office, Legacy House, in Abuja’s Maitama District.
However, that meeting’s legitimacy was later challenged by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, and his loyalists, who dismissed it as a mere stakeholders’ gathering because it did not meet the statutory requirement of proper notification.
Why the NEC notice was not jointly signed
People familiar with the crisis in the PDP say the exclusion of the national secretary’s signature in the NEC notice was primarily because of the unresolved leadership crisis over who legitimately holds that office (national secretary).
The crisis traces back to 2023, when the then-substantive secretary, Samuel Anyanwu, emerged as the PDP’s governorship candidate in Imo State. His nomination created a leadership vacuum and triggered a legal tussle within the party.
While Mr Anyanwu insisted on retaining his position as national secretary despite contesting for office, a rival faction backed Sunday Ude-Okoye as his replacement.
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In December 2024, the Court of Appeal ruled that Mr Anyanwu had vacated his seat upon picking the governorship ticket, declaring Ude-Okoye the rightful national secretary.
However, Mr Anyanwu appealed the decision at the Supreme Court and filed a motion for a stay of execution.
Amid the crisis, the PDP appointed Setonji Koshoedo as acting national secretary to prevent a leadership vacuum and manage the controversy. Nevertheless, the internal disagreement remains unresolved, affecting the party’s compliance with INEC regulations requiring a co-signed NEC notice.
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