The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has criticised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over what it described as unwarranted intrusion into its internal affairs, particularly regarding the party’s upcoming National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting.
Addressing journalists in Abuja on Sunday, the PDP’s National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, maintained that INEC has no constitutional authority to supervise or comment on party meetings unless they involve the election of officers or nomination of candidates for public office.
Ologunagba stated that while the party had duly informed INEC of the scheduled NEC meeting for 30 June 2025, in keeping with longstanding practice, the nature of the meeting does not require INEC’s presence or oversight under the Electoral Act.
“INEC has no statutory role in the routine meetings of the National Working Committee (NWC) or the NEC,” he said. “These are purely internal matters, and this position has been upheld by the Supreme Court on several occasions.”
He stressed that the party never indicated that the NEC gathering would involve the election of any officials or the conduct of primaries, yet INEC’s Acting Secretary, Halilu Aminu, had reportedly mischaracterised the meeting’s purpose.
“We clearly communicated the meeting was to deliberate on organisational matters, not to elect officers or nominate candidates,” Ologunagba noted.
He added that the upcoming 100th NEC meeting would evaluate progress made in planning the party’s national convention, including receiving reports from the Zoning Committee and the Convention Committee set up during the 99th NEC session.
“At our 99th NEC meeting, it was unanimously resolved to convene again on the 30th of June. That meeting endorsed the formation of both the Zoning and Convention Committees. We are currently engaged in extensive consultations with the party’s organs and stakeholders,” he said.
The PDP reiterated its commitment to internal democracy and war
