The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has strongly denounced what it describes as unwarranted interference by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in its internal affairs. The party asserts that the commission lacks the constitutional authority to regulate its meetings, including the upcoming National Executive Committee (NEC) session, unless the agenda pertains to the election of party officers or candidates.
This stance was articulated on Sunday, June 22, during a media briefing at the PDP National Secretariat in Abuja. The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, addressed journalists ahead of the party’s 100th NEC meeting scheduled for June 30, 2025.
Ologunagba emphasized that, as a matter of established protocol, the party had formally informed INEC about the NEC meeting. However, he pointed out that this notification was merely a courtesy and not a legal requirement.
“INEC has no role in the regular meetings of the NWC or NEC. These are internal matters, as confirmed by various Supreme Court rulings,” he said.
Under Nigeria’s electoral laws and the PDP constitution, Ologunagba explained, INEC is only required to be informed about conventions, congresses, or primaries involving the selection of party officers or election candidates.
“We never indicated that the upcoming meeting was to elect officers, conduct primaries, or nominate candidates. Yet, INEC’s Acting Secretary, Halilu Aminu, took it upon himself to assign a false purpose to our meeting,” Ologunagba added.
