Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, has urged the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to clear the confusion surrounding its National Secretary position.
Yakubu made the call during a closed door meeting with the National Working Committee, NWC, and stakeholders of the party in Abuja on Tuesday.
The main opposition party had, according to the INEC boss, requested to interact with the Commission to rectify its leadership crisis.
DAILY POST reported that that not long ago INEC received visitors from the Labour Party with similar request.
Speaking earlier at the meeting with INEC, Acting National Chairman of the 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.
Yakubu observed that the letter was only signed by the party chairman, and not the chairman and secretary, as provided in INEC regulations and guidelines.
“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,” he said.
“Thereafter, the party changed its mind and said it was Anyanwu. Thereafter, the party changed its mind to say that it’s Mr Okoye and again the party changed its mind to say it’s Anyanwu. And the last letter from the party actually has no Secretary at all.”
Damagun said, “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 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. We’re here today to discuss and interact with you sincerely because we had NEC and there was a decision of NEC which mandated me to sign a letter to avoid controversy. And I received your reply on that letter. “
