The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), on Friday, failed in its attempt to reconcile warring members of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) as both sides said they await court judgement.
The INEC Chairman, Prof Joash Amupitan who addressed the party members before the meeting went into a closed door session, said the commission has been receiving conflicting correspondences for the party, “and we felt that by rubbing minds together, it be a good opportunity for us to forge the way forward concerning the elections.”
Prof. Amupitan told them that the commission will next year, conduct Area Council elections in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), as well as off-cycle governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun States.
“And as a build-up to these elections, we have issued our own schedule of activities to all the political parties, and we are on course to ensure that we have a very smooth election at the Area Council of FCT and at the offshore states,” the INEC Chairman stated.
He added that INEC is mindful of the need for it to maintain the sanctity of the Constitution of Nigeria, which is the ground norm, as well as the Electoral Acts and the guidelines.
“We are guided by the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Electoral Acts, and the regulations that have been made by INEC,” he said.
But PDP National Chairman, Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, SAN who spoke to journalists after the meeting, explained that “both sides exhaustively presented the facts of the situation and confirmed that the issues are now before the Court of Appeal.”
Turaki stated that the INEC Chairman admitted that the commission was aware of the pending cases at the Court of Appeal and equally awaits the final judgement of the court on the matter.
“As the authentic leadership of the party that emerged at a valid convention (though contested in court), while awaiting the pronouncement of the court, we will continue to undertake the duties of an opposition party, which is to hold government to account on critical issues like security, infrastructure, education, healthcare etc,” he added.
Secretary of caretaker committee of Nyesom Wike-lrd faction, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, however said the meeting was productive.
