‘Repeat Congress’: PDP Writes INEC On Plot To Distabilise Party In Anambra
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called on Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to distance the Commission from the purported plans to conduct a ‘repeat congress’ in Anambra.
The PDP in its letter signed by Mr Chidi Chidebe, chairman of the Anambra chapter made the call in a letter to INEC entitled “Urgent Alert on Circulating INEC Letter and Attempt to Destabilise PDP Anambra State Executive”.
Chidebe said the letter purportedly from INEC which directed for a ‘repeat congress’ was a disturbing development that threatens the peace and stability of PDP and by extension, the democratic process.
He said the current State Executive Committee in Anambra emerged from what stakeholders and observers, including INEC itself, described as the freest and most transparent congress in the state’s history.
He said the Oct. 23, 2024 Congress in Anambra was conducted in full compliance with the Judgment of the Court of Appeal and that INEC was duly notified, attended, and observed every stage of the congress.
The chairman said INEC had in its possession, the approved list of PDP Executive Officers in Anambra after the congress adding that no legal action had been instituted to challenge either the process or the validity of the executive committee.
“INEC’s own records, including the reports of its observers at the 100th and 102nd NEC meetings attest to the legitimacy of the present executive.
“We respectfully request INEC to publicly repudiate and disregard the forged or unauthorised letter currently in circulation and continue to affirm the validity of the PDP Anambra SEC elected on Oct. 23, 2024, ” he said.
Chidebe said INEC should not lend itself as a tool to destabilise a lawfully constituted party structure but upholds its well known and respected. constitutional mandate of safeguarding democracy.
He said SEC was protected by PDP constitution which provided for a four-year tenure and no individual or group was empowered to truncate it except through due constitutional process and the Electoral Act 2022.
“It is important to underscore that neither the Electoral Act, INEC Guidelines, nor the PDP Constitution recognises any process called a “Repeat Congress.”
“This document: bears no authentic reference to any known reason for the decision of the authors, PDP or INEC, is not acknowledged by any recognised PDP leadership structure to originate from them.
“It appears calculated to mislead stakeholders, cause confusion, and incite chaos within our party and the wider polity.
“We call on INEC to investigate the origin of the false document and take every step within its statutory mandate to protect the Commission’s integrity and Nigeria
‘s democratic process.
