THE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has cautioned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) against attending, supervising or monitoring what it described as the ‘illegal’ national convention of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The convention, where the APC will elect a new national chairman and other members of its National Working Committee (NWC), is slated for March 26 at the Eagles Square in Abuja.
The PDP said INEC should not attend the event in a statement released by its spokesman Debo Ologunagba on Thursday.
The party noted that INEC would be contravening its statutory responsibility by monitoring the convention.
The PDP argued that the APC had ceased to exist legally since it dissolved its national, state and local government structures on December 8, 2020.
According to the party, INEC could only spend taxpayers’ money to superintend over and monitor legal political parties it has the mandate to supervise under its guidelines.
PDP further alleged that the APC Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) that is saddled with the responsibility of conducting the convention violated the 1999 Constitution and the Electoral Act.
“In any event, the CECPC by its composition with a state governor, H.E Mai Mala Buni as chairman is illegal and unconstitutional by reason of Section 183 of the Nigerian Constitution which bars a sitting governor from holding “any other executive office in any capacity whatsoever.
“Article 14 (i) of the APC Constitution, clearly states that the Chairman of the APC “shall be the “Chief Executive…” of the party.
“In going beyond its mandate, the CECPC acted ultra vires and all administrative acts purportedly done or deemed to have been done by this Committee are null and void and void ab-initio,” the
The statement added that the delegates to the APC national convention who were produced by congresses conducted by the CECPC cannot deliver any vote to produce a valid and legal political leadership for the party.
The PDP cautioned Nigerians who intend to participate in the APC national convention to be properly guided, noting that they were on a voyage that would lead to nowhere.
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