- Explains attendance of Anyanwu’s group at party meeting
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has dismissed speculation around giving official recognition to a faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at its recent engagement with political parties in Abuja, the nation’s capital.
According to the electoral body, the Samuel Anyanwu-led National Working Committee (NWC)’s attendance at the meeting does not necessarily amount to its recognition of one faction over another.
In explaining the reason behind having only the Anyanwu group at the meeting, with the Turaki-led group conspicuously absent, the Commission said the PDP was formally invited as a party and not any so-called faction within it.
INEC’s Deputy Director of Publicity, Mr Wilfred Osilama Ifogah, who spoke in an interview with journalists, said: “Invites are sent to the party, not to individuals,” noting that such letters are usually addressed to the party Chairman and Secretary.
He said since INEC does not determine which officials attend its meetings, it always accepts whoever a party presents as its representatives, adding: “Whoever the party sends as their representative is okay by the commission, because the letters are sent to the party, not the individual”
On concerns raised that only the Anyanwu-led working committee were at the meeting, Ifogah dismissed suggestions that INEC recognised that group to the exclusion of others, saying, “I didn’t know you people are the one calling it faction”.
Further maintaining that INEC does meddle in internal party divisions, the Deputy Director acknowledged that party representatives usually introduce themselves at such meetings, often stating whether they are standing in for substantive officers.
hear him: “Most times, if you are there at the opening ceremony, you find out that it’s either the person will say he’s representing the chairman, or the person is the chairman, and the other person is probably standing in for the secretary.”
While pointing out that INEC does not verify or question such representations, as long as the party responds to the invitation, he said: “As far as the party is concerned, we are not sure who comes. It’s just the party that sends people.”
Speaking on the crisis rocking the PDP, Ifogah said internal disputes are outside INEC’s mandate, stressing further that: “The internal crisis has nothing to do with us. We don’t bother about that. Whenever they settle, we work.”
He said INEC would always encourage parties to resolve leadership disputes ahead of critical electoral activities, adding; “The only advice we give them is that whatever issue or internal crisis they have, they should settle it before we have activity.”
Admitting that prolonged internal disputes could affect a party’s participation in time-bound processes, Ifogah said: “Whoever the substantive leadership of the party is should sign those documents so that they can be part of the process. If not, when the activity is time-bound and they need something, that’s their cup of tea.”
He said the essence of party engagements is participation, not factional validation, and further explained that, “It’s just the Elections and Political Parties Monitoring Department that knows how to send invitations to them. They come for the meeting. I think that’s what is paramount”.
