Uduegbunam ChukwujamaThe Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Friday evening said the failure of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognize activities of the All Progressives Congress (APC) further confirms its position that the ruling party lacks the legitimacy and statutory requisites to participate in the 2023 general elections.
Prime Business Africa had, early Friday morning, reported that INEC had queried APC’s proposed National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting slated for Thursday March 17, 2022 after the party sacked its Caretaker Committee Chairman Mai Mala Buni and his Secretary John James Akpanuodedehe and appointed Niger State Governor Abubakar Sani Bello as chairman.
READ ALSO: INEC Queries Proposed APC NEC Meeting, Says Buni, Akpanudoedehe Must Sign Notice
INEC, in a letter signed by the Commission’s Secretary said the notice of NEC meeting which the APC sent to it should have been signed by Buni and his secretary. INEC, in the letter, also hinted that the APC must carry it along in all of its activities regarding appointments of national leaders and activities relating to convention and congresses, among others.
But leaders of the party have quickly countered INEC’s position, insisting that there is no law requiring a political party to give INEC any notice for its NEC meeting.
The PDP, in a statement signed by Hon. Debo Ologunagba, its national publicity secretary, on Friday, emphasized that INEC’s refusal to honour APC’s invitation to attend its National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting as well as the Commission’s disapproval of APC’s National Convention scheduled for March 26, 2022 further authenticates its position. It said that ”the APC is a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) in liquidation, preparatory to winding up,” and ”cannot legally produce candidates for the elections.
”This decision by INEC is therefore another unmistaken ‘red flag’ to intending aspirants on the platform of the APC in the 2023 general elections that the APC has become defunct and cannot validly, legally and constitutionally field candidates in the 2023 general elections.
”Our Party draws attention to the grave import of INEC’s letter to the APC, dated March 9, 2022 to the effect that APC’s NEC meeting scheduled for Thursday March 17, 2022 will not be recognized by the Commission due to invalid notice; a development that will invalidate any decision reached at such meeting.
”Furthermore, INEC’s reference to the failure of the APC to give the required 21-day notice for its National Convention confirms the invalidity and unconstitutionality of any National Convention conducted by the APC’s illegal Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC).
”As it stands today, regardless of the boldface escapist excuses, the Sword of Damocles hangs precariously on the status of the contraption called CECPC and the APC itself. This signals an existential threat to the soulless, precipice-bound bunch of pretenders masquerading as a political party.
”The PDP had earlier informed Nigerians, especially intending aspirants on the platform of the APC that the APC became legally non-operational when in December 8, 2020 it dissolved its National, State as well as Local Government structures and handed its affairs over to an illegal body.
”Moreover, the PDP informs such aspirants that the widespread intractable infighting for the soul of the defunct APC by ferocious ‘political warlords’ is not for election purposes but in desperation for the control of APC structures as pedestals to further pillage public fund before and during the elections.
”The PDP calls on Nigerians to note that the APC by its actions has commenced an inevitable descent into self-inflicted political extinction.
”We call on Nigerians to remain at alert and hopeful as our Party takes decisive steps to democratically take over governance in 2023 in our mission to Rescue and Rebuild our nation from the rudderless, vicious, clueless and visionless APC.”
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