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By Oscar Okhifo
The Conference of Professionals in the Peoples Democratic Party (CP-PDP) has chided the Acting Secretary of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Haliru Aminu accusing him of attempting to interfere in the internal affairs of the party by raising objections over its forthcoming 100th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting scheduled for Monday, June 30, 2025.
According to the CP-PDP, INEC has neither the legal authority nor any statutory role to cancel, suspend, or question the convening of the PDP’s NEC meeting, describing the commission’s recent position as a misinterpretation of existing regulations.
The Conference expressed concern over the mischievous misrepresentation of Part 2(12)3 of the Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties, 2022 by the INEC Acting Secretary, Haliru Aminu, “which we believe is a deliberate but failed design by that official to scuttle the NEC meeting.”
CP-PDP, in a statement by its National Coordinator, Barr. Obinna Nwachukwu, said, “this is because it is crystal clear that the Part 2(12)3 of the Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties, 2022 cited by Haliru Aminu in his malicious letter derived from Part 2(12)1, which is unambiguous in providing that the 21 days notice to be signed by the National Chairman and National Secretary of a political party is only applicable to Convention, Congress, Conference or Meeting convened for the purpose of merger and electing members of its national executive committees, other governing bodies or nominating candidates for any of the elective offices specified in the Electoral Act 2022.”
The CP-PDP said it has carefully reviewed the invitation extended to INEC by the Acting National Chairman of PDP, Ambassador Umar Damagum, adding that the letter dated Friday, 30th May 2025 and addressed to the Chairman of INEC, did not make any reference to a 21-day notice nor did it state that the 100th NEC meeting is convened for the purposes specified under 2(12) of the Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties, 2022.
“It is therefore clear that INEC Acting Secretary Haliru Aminu acted in bad faith, perhaps influenced by external interests in his letter to import ideas and issues that were not contained in the invitation letter from the PDP,” the group said.
The Conference therefore demanded that INEC should protect its integrity by immediately relieving Haliru Aminu of his duties and investigate his conduct and activities, especially given allegations that he is compromised by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to frustrate the PDP.
The CP-PDP insists that the 100th NEC meeting will proceed as scheduled on June 30, 2025, emphasizing that the gathering is not bound by the provisions wrongly invoked by INEC’s Acting Secretary.