Politics

APC Convention: Real Reasons INEC Must Not Attend, Monitor Saturday’s Event – PDP

Published

4 years ago

March 24, 2022

Editor

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, on Thursday, cautioned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) against attending, monitoring, or supervising the Saturday’s national convention of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

PDP warned that INEC would be going outside its statutory mandate under the 1999 Constitution and the Electoral Act of 2022 by attending or monitoring the APC national convention.

A statement by Debo Ologunagba, PDP’s National Publicity Secretary, said INEC should not waste public funds monitoring what it termed APC jamboree.

According to Ologunagba: “INEC, being a government agency set up by law, that also draws from the budgetary allocation of the country with respect to superintending over electoral processes and management of political parties, can only superintend over and monitor bodies over which it has mandate to supervise. This presupposes that any such body must be legally operating as a political party under INEC rules and guidelines.

“The APC, having been defunct on December 8, 2020 when it dissolved its National, States as well as Local Government structures ceases, in the eyes of the law, to be a political party and as such cannot be subject of INEC’s regulations with particular reference to its supposed National Convention.

“For emphasis, the APC Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) was established for the singular purpose of organizing the APC National Convention in 2020. The Committee violated the Constitution and the Electoral Act by engaging in party administration, conducting congresses to produce officers at the various state Chapters as well as delegates for APC National Convention.

“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.

“To this effect, delegates to the APC purported National Convention produced by congresses conducted by the CECPC are at best handicapped delegates with leprous fingers who cannot deliver any vote to produce a valid and legal political leadership for the APC. INEC should therefore not waste public resources to monitor a jamboree that would be of no legal or electoral effect under our laws.

“If the APC had listened to one its members, the Minister of State for Labour, Festus Keyamo, SAN, who had cautioned that the “competence of Governor Mai Mala Buni to organise the congresses has been called to question by the Supreme Court”, it would not have been in this quagmire.

“Our Party for the umpteenth time cautions Nigerians who intend to participate in the electoral process under the APC to be guided as they are on a voyage that leads to nowhere.”

Politics

PHOTOS: Atiku, El-Rufai, Tambuwal, Others Attends ADC Meeting In Abuja

Published

36 minutes ago

September 25, 2025

Editor

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar on Thursday attended a meeting of the African Democratic Congress coalition leaders in Abuja, alongside several prominent politicians.

Among those present were former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir el-Rufai; ex-Minister of Digital Economy, Isa Pantami; ADC National Chairman and former Senate President, David Mark; former Kwara State governor, Abdulfatai Ahmed; and ex-Sokoto governor, Aminu Tambuwal.

In a post on his official X handle, Atiku described the gathering as part of efforts to resist what he called entrenched interests holding back Nigeria’s development.

He stated that the meeting was also against the oligarchs who promote poverty and insecurity in the country.

He wrote, “I am currently at the stakeholders meeting of the Coalition African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Abuja. It’s a meeting of the Nigerian people against the oligarchs who promote poverty and insecurity in the land.”

The ADC coalition was adopted in July by opposition politicians as the platform to challenge for power in the 2027 general elections.

The African Democratic Congress, originally formed in 2005 as the Alliance for Democratic Change, later changed its name to ADC and was officially registered by the Independent National Electoral Commission in 2011. The party positioned itself as a centrist alternative to the dominant Peoples Democratic Party and All Progressives Congress.

Over the years, it has attracted defectors and reform-minded politicians seeking to build a third force in Nigeria’s political landscape.

Other members of the coalition include former PDP National Chairman, Uche Secondus; 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi; ex-Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi; former Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola; former House of Representatives Speaker, Emeka Ihedioha; ex-Kogi Central Senator, Dino Melaye, and a former National Chairman of the APC, Odigie Oyegun.

Politics

FCT Area Council Elections: INEC Declares Campaigns Open

Published

23 hours ago

September 24, 2025

Editor

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has announced the commencement of campaigns by political parties for the forthcoming Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Area Council elections.

The Commission said this is in line with the provisions of Section 94(1) of the Electoral Act 2022 and item 8 of the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for political parties participating in the election.

The electoral body stated that political parties are now at liberty to begin their electioneering campaigns in public from Wednesday, September 24, 2025, and conclude at midnight on Thursday, February 19, 2026.

“As enshrined in Sections 92 and 93 of the Electoral Act 2022, the Commission wishes to remind political parties, candidates and their supporters that it is unlawful to use abusive language, carry out physical attacks on opponents during rallies, processions and meetings or destroy their campaign materials,” a statement signed by Sam Olumekun, National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, said.

“Similarly, all parties and candidates must be given unimpeded access to public facilities for media campaigns, outdoor advertising as well as public rallies and meetings.

“For the avoidance of doubt, Section 95(2) of the Electoral Act 2022 prohibits the use of incumbency to the advantage or disadvantage of any party or candidate.”

The FCT Area Council elections will hold on Saturday, February 21, 2026.

Politics

BREAKING: EFCC Chairman, Former Rivers Sole administrator Ibas In Aso Rock

Published

1 day ago

September 24, 2025

Editor

The immediate past sole administrator of Rivers State, Ibok-Ete Ibas, and the chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ola Olukoyede, are currently at the State House in Abuja.

Although the reason for their presence at the Villa could not be immediately ascertained, it was gathered that President Bola Tinubu had summoned Ibas.

According to Channels TV, Ibas arrived at the State House on Wednesday at around 5:50 pm.

Ibas, who took over the affairs of the state in March following the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, had last week handed power back to the governor after Tinubu lifted the six-month suspension.

Members of the State House of Assembly had also resolved to probe Ibas’s six-month administration.