Stay Away From APC Convention, PDP Cautions INEC, Gives Reasons

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has cautioned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) against attending, monitoring, or supervising Saturday’s national convention of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Debo Ologunagba, the PDP’s National Publicity Secretary, made this call on Thursday.

The main opposition party, warned that INEC would be going outside its statutory mandate under the 1999 Constitution; and the Electoral Act of 2022 by attending or monitoring the APC national convention.

Ologunagba also said INEC should not waste public funds monitoring what it termed APC jamboree.

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According to the him: “INEC can only superintend over and monitor bodies over which it has the mandate to supervise. This presupposes that any such body must be legally operating as a political party under INEC rules and guidelines.

“The APC, having been defunct on December 8, 2020, when it dissolved its National, States; as well as Local Government structures cease, in the eyes of the law, to be a political party.

Therefore, it cannot be subject of INEC’s regulations with particular reference to its supposed National Convention.

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“For emphasis, the APC Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) was established for the singular purpose of organizing the APC National Convention in 2020. The Committee violated the Constitution and the Electoral Act. This was by engaging in party administration, conducting congresses to produce officers at the various state Chapters; as well as delegates for APC National Convention.

“In any event, the CECPC by its composition with a state governor, H.E Mai Mala Buni as Chairman, is illegal and unconstitutional. This is by reason of Section 183 of the Nigerian Constitution. It bars a sitting governor from holding “any other executive office in any capacity whatsoever.

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“To this effect, INEC should therefore not waste public resources to monitor a jamboree that would be of no legal or electoral effect under our laws.

“Our Party for the umpteenth time cautions Nigerians who intend to participate in the electoral process under the APC to be guided; as they are on a voyage that leads to nowhere.”