The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has insisted that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) cannot stop its 100th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting scheduled for June 30.
PDP National Publicity Secretary Debo Ologuagba, said this on Sunday while briefing Journalists ahead of the scheduled NEC meeting.
Controversy had arose over the arrangement for the meeting following INEC’s response to the party’s letter inviting the electoral umpire to the meeting.
The party noted that the provisions stated in the INEC letter to the party of June, 13, 2025, deals only with issues relating to ” Mergers and elective convention. ”
According to him, the party invited INEC to witness the NEC as no political party has ever held 100th NEC meeting in Nigeria.
“The only time when we need to give 21 days notice is for the purposes of Convention that is elective, or for mergers etc.
Ologuagba who noted that the PDP remained the oldest party in Nigeria, said, ”the PDP has been fulfilling necessary requirements and doing everything in accordance with the laws
He further said that the meeting is an internal affair of the party and INEC’s role is limited to monitoring electoral processes.
The party argued that the NEC meeting is not subject to INEC’s jurisdiction, citing sections 29(3) and 34(4) of the PDP Constitution.
Ologuagba described the invitation to INEC as a “mere formality” and a courtesy gesture to witness the historic 100th NEC meeting.
The party disputed INEC’s claim that the invitation letter should be signed by both the National Chairman and National Secretary.
The INEC, citing part 2(12)3 of the 2022 Electoral Act as amended, said the invitation letter signed on behalf of the party by an acting Secretary did not comply with the relevant part of the Electoral Act, which requires the ” Signatures of both the National Chairman and National Secretary of the party.
But speaking on the INEC position, Ologuagba said the party complied with its statutory provisions as stated in section 29(3) and 34(4), of the PDP Constitution.
He wondered why its simple administrative requirement was being twisted and warned that, ”Plans by the ruling All Progressive Congress APC, to force a one party rule on Nigeria will be vehemently rejected by Nigerians.
“INEC has nothing to do with who signs any letter on behalf of the party”
The party wondered why it took INEC 13 days to respond.
He also queried the rationale behind INEC’s decision to, “released the letter to the social media one week before it was received by the PDP on the 19th of June
He also noted that the PDP was not under any obligation to write the letter to INEC, sake for a courtesy that the party was celebrating its 100th NEC, adding, ”There is no any other party in Nigeria that has attained that fit.
“They have no business at those statutory meetings of the party, except for a meeting that is called for an election of officers, for issues that relates to mergers with another party or regional parties, and three, when you are providing or producing new candidates for elections.
“So if there are conventions that produce members of national working committees, they will be there to monitor and to observe the process, and so that when reports are being sent by the party it will tally with what they have.
‘If the court will not have jurisdiction about what happened with the internal affairs of the party, I wonder why INEC will have jurisdiction over it.
“The letter was dated June 13th. It took INEC 13 days. Why the desperation to kill political parties? All they need is one party state, stifle opposition. Which is just, like I’ve said earlier here, it’s wishful thinking, it’s hallucination.
”And INEC should know that this is hallucinating. This country will not go into a one-party state and nobody, no matter how powerful, whether you’re a president or you’re a combination of presidents, it will not work.”
Ologuagba urged the party faithful to remain committed to the PDP adding that the June 30th convention would hold as planned.
