The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), led by Kabiru Turaki, has rejected claims of parallel leadership within the party.
BACKGROUND
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had
rejected the request to recognise the Turaki-led national working committee
(NWC) of the PDP as the party’s bona fide leadership, citing multiple court
judgements for its decision.
In a letter dated December 22, addressed to Akintayo Balogun
& Co, PDP’s legal representatives, INEC said the demand to recognise
Turaki’s leadership remains sub judice, noting that it cannot take
administrative action that may pre-empt the outcome of legal processes before
the courts.
The electoral body said it would not update its records to
reflect any change in the party’s national leadership pending the resolution of
ongoing court cases challenging the PDP convention held in Ibadan, the Oyo
state capital.
The Turaki-led PDP NWC has the support of Seyi Makinde,
governor of Oyo, and Bala Mohammed, his Bauchi counterpart.
In November, the opposition party, with the backing of
Mohammed and Makinde, convened a national convention in Ibadan, which produced
a new set of national officers.
The national convention was preceded by a series of
conflicting court judgements, with some rulings from federal high courts in
Abuja halting the event over alleged breaches of party constitution and
electoral laws, while the Oyo state high court in Ibadan cleared the PDP to
proceed with the exercise and directed INEC to monitor it.
A group of party members led by Nyesom Wike, minister of the
Federal Capital Territory (FCT), who opposed the convention, would later form a
parallel NWC, board of trustees (BoT) and national executive committee (NEC).
‘THERE’S NO FACTION IN PDP’
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Ini Ememobong, PDP
spokesperson, said the clarification became necessary following the INEC’s
letter.
Ememobong said the judgements referenced by INEC have been
appealed, noting that applications for stay of execution have already been
filed.
He argued that INEC monitored and participated in the PDP
NEC meetings where the date and venue of the Ibadan convention were agreed and
also received formal notice of the exercise.
He said INEC also monitored PDP primaries in Ekiti and Osun
states, which were conducted under the leadership of the NWC led by Turaki.
Ememobong asked the electoral umpire to adhere to the
supreme court judgements, including a recent ruling involving the Social
Democratic Party (SDP), which barred the commission from interfering in the
internal affairs of political parties.
“The truth remains that there is no faction in the PDP as
all the legitimate organs and the administrative structure of the party are
under the control of Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, SAN,” the statement reads.
He said the PDP BoT, governors’ forum, state chairmen,
senate and house of representatives caucuses, former governors and ministers
and many other notable stakeholder groups have all acknowledged Turaki’s
leadership.
Ememobong criticised INEC for what he described as
inconsistent and biased actions, questioning the commission’s rationale for
convening a meeting with PDP leaders last week despite being aware that the
matter is before the courts.
“INEC must remember that democracy is hinged on majority
rule, so the committee of friends of Wike and [Samuel] Anyanwu cannot be
validly referred to as a faction of the PDP,” he said.
“We should ordinarily not respond to this letter, except to
point out the hypocrisy and consistent bias that have completely coloured the
action of the electoral umpire.
“INEC has continuously shown bias in this matter, even in
the court, where they failed or refused to file documents that were in their
possession and within their knowledge, obviously to aid those who are bent on
killing the PDP and truncating democracy.”
Ememobong urged PDP members to remain calm and resolute and
continue to support the party’s rebirth and renaissance.
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