The national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of continuously showing bias in its internal affairs.
The Party emphasised that INEC has failed or refused to file in the court, documents that are in their possession and within their knowledge, obviously to aid those who are bent on killing the PDP and truncating democracy.
The PDP therefore declared that in law and fact, there is no faction in the Party and therefore urged the Electoral Commission to remember that democracy is hinged on majority rule, emphasising that the committee of friends of Wike and Anyanwu cannot be validly referred to as a faction of the PDP.
The PDP specifically declared that the truth remains that there is no faction in the Party as all the legitimate organs and the administrative structure of the Party are under the control of Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, SAN.
The leadership of the PDP which stated these while reacting to the letter by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), in which the Electoral body expressed its inability to recognise and upload the data of the elected leadership of the Party at the convention in Ibadan due to judgements of the Federal High Court, stressed that the said judgements have been appealed and an application for the stay of execution filed against them.
The PDP in a statement by Comrade Ini Ememobong, National Publicity Secretary, stated that very soon, the Court of Appeal will hear and give judgement in the matters, stressing that while that was being awaited, it is needful to state that INEC monitored and participated in the National Executive Committee meetings where the convention date and venue were unanimously agreed.
Ememobong specifically said that INEC was also in receipt of the notice of the convention – a fact the Commission has unconscionably suppressed in court in several cases.
The PDP stressed that furthermore, the primaries in Ekiti and Osun were duly monitored by INEC, with communication emanating from the Turaki-led NWC.
Ememobong said; “While we appreciate the monumental pressure that INEC has come under (after all he who pays the piper dictates the tune), we remind them that their constitutional responsibility is primarily to Nigerians and in the defence and protection of democracy.
“While INEC claims to be neutral and is awaiting the Judgement of the court on the matter, we hope that they are minded by the judgements of the Supreme Court, especially in the SDP case, being the latest delivered last week, barring INEC from interfering in the internal leadership affairs of political parties.
“In the past one month the Board of Trustees, Governors Forum, State Chairmen, Senate and House of Representatives Caucuses, former Governors and Ministers and many other notable stakeholder groups have all met with and acknowledged the leadership of the current National Working Committee, led by Turaki SAN.
“Finally, having a held a meeting with the Commission last week, and our correspondence, thereafter, further explaining relevant issues relating to the current situation, we should ordinarily not respond to this letter, except to point out the hypocrisy and consistent bias that has completely coloured the action of the electoral umpire.
The PDP therefore urged Nigerians, particularly, its members to remain calm, resolute and continue to support the rebirth and renaissance moves of the party, as it reposition the party for electoral success in the coming elections.
