By: Mercy Peter
The independent national electoral commission (INEC) Chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu on Tuesday urged the people Democratic Party PDP to clear the confusion Surrounding its national secretary position
This was disclosed during a closed door the with National Working Committee,and stakeholders of the party at the inec headquarters in Abuja.
Yakubu said, the main opposition had requested
to interact with the Commission to rectify its leadership crisis.
He said: “This meeting is at the instance of the party. They requested to interact with us and our doors are always open to meet with leaders of political parties in our capacity as the registrar and regulator of political parties in Nigeria.
“You may recall that not too long ago we received similar visitors from the Labour Party. So when the PDP said it was going to visit, we welcomed them. The acting national chairman has stated the purpose of the meeting to discuss the status of the party’s national secretary, particularly regarding the letter we sent to the party on the request for us to monitor their 100th NEC meeting, which was only signed by the chairman and not the chairman and secretary as provided in our regulations and guidelines.
“I am glad that meeting was the 100th meeting of the NEC of the party, meaning that 99 times in the past you fully complied by inviting us by means of a letter signed by the chairman and secretary of the party.
“So there are issues to discuss and we look forward to this important clarification from the party as to who is the secretary.
“In the last couple of months we received letters from the party saying that one Mr Ude Okoye was the secretary. Thereafter, the party changed its mind and said it was sent to Anyawu.
Thereafter, the party changed its mind to say that it’s Mr. Ude Okoye and again the party changed its mind to say it’s Anyawu. And the last letter from the party actually has no secretary at all. It was only signed by the chairman, which we responded to.
But we are here as the registrar and regulators of political parties and we hope when we go into the working session we will fully understand where you are coming from and what more you expect from us as the registrar and regulator of political parties.”
Speaking earlier, the acting National Chairman of (PDP), Iliya Umar Damagun, said the purpose of the parley was to discuss the status of the party’s National Secretary, particularly regarding the letter sent to the party by INEC on the request for the Commission to monitor the 100th NEC meeting.
“Normally when we have issues, the party always comes and interacts with INEC, but today you’ve given us the opportunity with our leaders from various organs of the party to be here.
“We’re here today as you are aware we have issues pertaining to the status of our National Secretary.
“We’ve gone into litigation I think from the beginning of last year until when the Supreme Court, you know, made a pronouncement of which INEC was a party.”
