The decision by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to cancel the election of some of the members of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) has thrown the party into confusion.
Despite the fact that the party has said that the decision of the electoral body was not binding on it, investigations revealed that the affected NWC members and their supporters in the Wadata House headquarters of the party are jittery over the final outcome.
INEC had in a report by its 12-member committee under the chairmanship of Col. M.K. Hammanga (rtd.), rejected the adoption/affirmation of 12 members of the PDP NWC because the process adopted by the PDP in electing the 12 officials was faulty, arguing that it violated paragraph 6.5 of the guidelines used for conducting the 2012 congress and national convention of the party.
Those whose elections were rejected are the Deputy National Chairman, Sam Sam Jaja; National Organising Secretary, Abubakar Mustapha; and Deputy National Organising Secretary, Okechukwu Nnadozie.
Others are the National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh; the Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Binta Goje; the National Youth Leader, Garba Chiza; his Deputy, Dennis Alonge Niyi; the Deputy National Auditor, Senator Umar Ibrahim; the National Woman Leader, Kema Chikwe; her Deputy, Hannatu Ulam; the Deputy National Treasurer, Claudus Inengas; and the National Legal Adviser, Victor Kwon.
Oyinlola and Mustapha were in February removed by the party, which relied on court judgments which were against them.
It however approved the election of the National Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur; the Financial Secretary, Bolaji Anani; the sacked National Secretary, Olagunsoye Oyinlola; and the sacked National Auditor, Chief Bode Mustapha.
It was gathered in Abuja on Tuesday that the NWC members were concerned that the decision by INEC could lead to the dissolution of the 16-man working committee before the expiration of its tenure.
It was also learnt that the PDP had referred the matter to its legal department for advice. Investigations further revealed that the INEC’s report, which voided the election of the 12 members, is likely to top the agenda of the NWC meeting on Wednesday.
A top member of the PDP, who declined being named, said that the party was at a loss about how to handle the issue.
“We are concerned about the INEC report. The commission was represented at our national convention last year and it is now saying the election of 12 NWC members is not legal.”
The PDP member then asked, “As INEC is insisting on its decision, are we going to hold a fresh convention to elect officers that will replace the 12? Or how do we rectify anomalies the commission claimed to have observed?”
He said that the party was at a loss as to how INEC included Oyinlola and Bode Mustapha among the four officials whose elections were said to be valid.
Metuh, who is one of the affected NWC members, had in an interview with journalists on Monday rejected the report of the commission.
He had asked, “Is INEC a supervisory body? Why would INEC wait after a year? Why did it not say it after a week? They are incapable of removing any NWC member. There is nothing unconstitutional that we have done; NWC is not in conflict with the Presidency, with the PDP governors, also not in conflict with the leaders of the party in the Presidency and the National Assembly.
“We are confident that nothing will happen. We are focused in delivering good governance. The report is sinister, abnormal. There is conspiracy. Why is it coming now?”
On Tuesday, Metuh again took a swipe at INEC, saying it was plotting to destabilise the NWC of the PDP, describing the commission as a fifth columnist that must be resisted by the ruling party.
He said, “This whole thing is sinister. INEC is not clean in this regard; INEC is a fifth columnist in this; they think they can destabilise our party, they are doing this to destabilise our party and we will resist it. We will resist any attempt by INEC to destabilise our party.
“At first, they said they were not aware of what we were talking about then. They said they were mere observers but now, they are saying they stand by their report.
“Which report? The report which they refuted that it was in existence? Is it not spurious? Why are they just releasing it one year after? It is part of a plot? INEC is in a sinister plot against the working committee of our party. We will not allow it to happen; we believe in the rule of law.”
Asked whether the matter was part of the agenda of the party’s NWC meeting today (Wednesday), he said, “Why should it? It is not.”
When contacted on the allegation that the INEC report was to destabilise the PDP, the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Mr. Kayode Idowu, said, “I am still studying it and I will find out and get back to you.”
He was yet to do so as at the time of filing this report.
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