PDP Replies INEC, Says Party Will Go Ahead With 100th NEC Meeting as Planned
*Insists frustration is part of APC one-party agenda
Chuks Okocha in Abuja
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), yesterday, insisted it would go ahead with its 100th National Executive Committee (NEC), explaining that the regulatory body overstepped the regulations and guidelines for political parties signed in 2022.
The acting national chairman of the PDP, Ambassador Umar Damagum, had on May 30th, 2025 written to the INEC, intimating it with the forthcoming 100th NEC meeting.
But INEC replied through the acting secretary, Harilu Aminu, and told the PDP that the letter did not follow due compliance as the acting national chairman and the national secretary of the party ought to sign the letter.
However, addressing the media at the national secretariat of the PDP yesterday, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, said by the recent judgement of the Supreme Court, political parties were allowed to organise its internal affairs.
He explained that both the meetings of the National Working Committee, NWC and the National Executive Committee, NEC were part of the internal affairs of the party.
”By the PDP constitution, the NWC meetings hold fortnightly, while the NEC meeting holds every quarter. These are part of the PDP constitution. The meetings of these statutory bodies are Constitutional and therefore do not require the permission of INEC to hold such meetings,” he said.
Asked why PDP wrote INEC about the meeting, Ologunagba said, “We wrote INEC out of mere courtesy that we as the oldest political party is holding a 100th NEC meeting.”
He also queried the mood the INEC delivered the letter to PDP, stating that the letter from INEC was already in the social space four days before the letter was sent to the party
Ologunagba said this was part of the process of the All Progressives Congress (APC) of driving home its one-party agenda by manipulating INEC
The spokesman of PDP said the decision to hold the NEC meeting was a decision of the 99th NEC meeting
”At that 99th NEC meeting, you recall that NEC unanimous scheduled and approved the 30th of June for the next NEC meeting, which is about a week from now.
”That 100th meeting, which is coming on the 30th of June, duly and unanimously convened by the NEC. And of course, there was a communique read at the end of that meeting, where the chairman of the party conveyed the resolution.
”You’ll recall at that meeting, two other critical decisions were taken. One, the constitution of the main officers of the zoning committee, and of course, the convention committee.
”And the NWC was directed to begin in consultation with various organs of the party and stakeholders and interests to ensure that the population of those committees are populated.
”So the 100th meeting is to have a review of this process. And so, our members, the members of the National Executive Committee are ready, and they’re preparing from the fillers we’re getting, that they’re ready to participate actively at the next National Executive Committee meeting, which is being scheduled by the NEC for the 30th day of June.
”There are two major bodies in the party, the NWC and the NEC, that are required under the constitution. Under section 29, subsection 3 of the constitution of the party, I just want to bring you up to speed with this, so that you have a background of our understanding of how we operate as a party.
”The National Working Committee, under section 29, 3, is expected to meet at least twice a month, every fortnight, because they are the managers of the party. Then section 34, subsection 4, talks about the National Executive Committee meeting.
”The National Executive Committee shall meet at least once every quarter at the instance of the National Chairman or at the request of a third of NEC members who shall notify the Chairman at least seven days prior to this meeting and an emergency meeting may be summoned by the National Executive Committee.
”At that meeting, a motion moved by the governor of Oyo State, seconded by the minority leader in the Senate, Senator Abba Moro, was approved that the 100th meeting should take place.
”And then there was a further direction that INEC should be informed by way of courtesy. It must be clear that INEC has no role whatsoever in participating in regular meetings of these bodies that I’ve drawn to you. They have no role at all.
”And then you can see some of the distressing things coming from INEC, which of course is very unfortunate,” Ologunagba stated, adding that, ”There are exception and those are the issues that the Supreme Court has said, are internal affairs of the party.”
