PDP Chieftains, INEC Meet Over Status Of National Secretary

By Nathaniel Gana

Tuesday 24th June 2025

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Tuesday, 24th June 2025, received a powerful delegation from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) at its headquarters in Abuja. Members of the delegation include the Governor of Zamfara State, Mr. Dauda Dare; Governor of Oyo State, Engineer Seyi Makinde; Governor of Bauchi State, Mr Bala Muhammed; Governor of Plateau State, Mr Caleb Mutfwang, and former Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki among others.

Led by the Acting National Chairman, Ambassador Umar Damagum, the PDP chieftains visited the Commission to discuss the status of the party’s National Secretary.

Welcoming the delegation, INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, underscored the significance of the engagement, noting that the meeting was convened at the request of the PDP. He reaffirmed INEC’s commitment to constructive dialogue with political parties in line with its role as both registrar and regulator of political parties in Nigeria.

He said: “This meeting is at the instance of the party. They requested to interact with us, and our doors are always open to meet with leaders of political parties in our capacity as the registrar and regulator of political parties.

“You may recall that not long ago, we received similar visitors from the Labour Party. The acting national chairman has stated that the purpose of the meeting is to discuss the status of party’s National Secretary, particularly regarding the letter sent to the party on the request for us to monitor their 100^th NEC meeting which was signed by only the chairman, and not chairman and secretary as provided in our Regulations and Guidelines.

“We heard that the (proposed) meeting will be the 100^th NEC meeting of the party, meaning that 99 times in the past, you fully complied by inviting us with a letter signed by chairman and secretary of the party. So, there are issues to discuss. And we look forward to this important clarification from the party as to who the Secretary is.

“In the last couple of months, we received letters from the party saying that Mr. Ude Okoye was the Secretary. Thereafter, the party changed its mind and said it was Senator (Samuel) Anyanwu. Thereafter, the party changed its mind to say that it’s Mr. (Setonji) Koshoedo. Again, the party changed its mind to say it is Anyanwu. But the last letter from the party has no secretary at all. It was only signed by the Chairman, which we responded to.”

The INEC Chairman said that by tradition, certain classes of letters from a political party to INEC require the signatures of both the National Chairman and National Secretary.

Responding, Ambassador Damagum thanked the Commission giving the delegation the opportunity to engage. He acknowledged the issues raised by INEC, noting that the matter of the National Secretary had been a subject of litigation, culminating in a Supreme Court judgment in which INEC was a party.

“We’re here today to have an honest and off-camera interaction with you,” he said. “Our NEC made a decision mandating me to sign the letter to INEC to avoid further controversy. We received your response urging compliance with established procedures. This engagement will help guide our position as we move forward.”

The meeting subsequently went into a closed session.