When INEC Put PDP to Shame

The recent closed-door meeting between the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) exposed the party’s failure to put its house in order.

The electoral umpire had rejected the party’s notification for its 100th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, insisting that the letter of notification failed to comply with extant rules and guidelines.

The commission also cited the internal crisis around the national secretary of the party as the reason for declining the request.

Present at the meeting were the acting National Chairman of the party, Umar Damagum; former Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki; governors of Bauchi, Zamfara, Plateau and Oyo states, senators and other big wigs in the party.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, used the occasion to expose the leadership crisis in the party when he alluded to the inconsistencies that the secretaryship tussle has generated.

“In the last couple of months we received letters from the party saying that one Ude Okoye was the secretary. Thereafter, the party changed its mind and said it was sent to Samuel Anyanwu. Thereafter, the party changed its mind to say that it is Arch. Setonji Koshoedo, and again the party changed its mind to say it is Anyanwu. And the last letter from the party actually has no secretary at all. It was only signed by the chairman, which we responded to,” Yakubu said.

The revelation by the INEC chairman has exonerated the commission of alleged complicity in the PDP crisis.

It also confirmed that Damagum lacked the capacity to enforce discipline in the party.

It is only under Damagum’s leadership that some PDP members are bigger than the party and are working for the All Progressives Congress (APC) without any consequences.

For some of the party leaders who thought INEC was part of their problems, it was obvious from the expressions on their faces after the meeting that they were thoroughly embarrassed by INEC ‘s revelation.