INEC rejects PDP’s NEC meeting notice, says signature requirement not met

INEC rejects PDP’s NEC meeting notice, says signature requirement not met

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says
the notice it received from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of its 100th
national executive council (NEC) meeting did not comply with regulations.

In a letter dated May 30, the PDP informed the electoral
body of its intention to hold the NEC meeting at its national secretariat in
Abuja on June 30.

 

The notice, signed solely by Umar Damagum, the party’s
acting national chairman, was in accordance with INEC’s 21-day notification
requirement for political meetings of such magnitude.

 

However, in a letter dated June 13 and addressed to the
party’s chairman, INEC said the notice of the meeting failed to comply with its
regulations.

 

The commission said the notice of the proposed NEC meeting
ought to have been jointly signed by the party’s national chairman and
secretary.

 

“The Commission draws your attention that the notice is not
in compliance with the requirement of part 2(12)3 of the Regulations and
Guidelines for Political Parties, 2022 that provides 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,” the letter
reads.

 

There has been a tussle within the PDP over the position of
national secretary, with Samuel Anyanwu and Sunday Udeh-Okoye laying claim to
the seat.

 

 

In December 2024, the court of appeal ruled that Udeh-Okoye
should replace Anyanwu as the PDP national secretary.

 

The south-east zonal executive committee of the party
nominated Udeh-Okoye to replace Anyanwu after he became the PDP gubernatorial
candidate in Imo state in 2023.

 

Anyanwu had obtained several court injunctions to prevent
his removal from office.

 

However, in a verdict delivered on December 20, 2024, Ridwan
Abdullahi, the appeal court judge, dismissed the high court’s judgment, which
prevented Anyanwu’s removal, for “lacking in merit”.

 

Following the judgment, Udeh-Okoye said he is the party’s
national secretary.

 

However, Anyanwu claimed he appealed the judgment and filed
for a stay of execution at the supreme court the same day the appeal court
delivered the verdict in favour of Udeh-Okoye.

 

In March, the supreme court, in its verdict delivered by a
five-member panel, held that the debate over the position is an internal affair
not subject to adjudication.

 

Source: INEC rejects PDP’s NEC meeting notice, says signature requirement not met

 - NigerianEye
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