By Harry Awurumibe, Editor Abuja Bureau
The war of words between the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) over the planned March 17 emergency National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting seems not to be calming down.
This is even as the electoral umpire is insisting that it will not monitor the said NEC meeting because the letter inviting the Commission for the meeting was not signed by persons vested with the power by APC Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) headed by Governor of Yobe state, Mai Mala Buni and Senator John James Akpanudoedehe as Chairman and Secretary respectively.
The position of INEC on the planned APC NEC meeting was made clearer on Monday on Channels Television breakfast programme Sunrise Daily by Barrister Festus Okoye, INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee.
Okoye made it clear that INEC is determined to follow the Electoral Act in dealing with the political parties in Nigeria, pointing out that the Commission is only telling the APC to follow the rules of the game.
According to him: “INEC is only telling the APC that it recognises only letters signed by the CECPC Chairman and Secretary of APC and not letters signed by other party chieftains who are not recognised by the Commission.
“Aside this, the Electoral Act stated that INEC must be given a 21 days Notice of any planned meeting of political parties for it to get ready to monitor such meetings of political parties”.
However, Okoye explained that APC can hold their NEC meeting but if it will entail a change of leadership, the Commission will not accept it and will not recognise such exercise.
Said he: “The APC has been reminded of the provision in Section 82(1) of the Electoral Act 2022 which requires ‘at least 21 days’ Notice of any Convention, Congress, Conference, or Meeting convened for the purpose of ‘merger’ and electing members of its Executive Committees, other governing bodies or nominating candidates for any elective offices”.
“Also, Section 77 of the Electoral Act 2022 says political parties must provide the authentic Register of Members during
Convention, Congress, Conference, or Meetings which INEC will monitor. These are the crux of the matter”.
Prompt News Online reports that INEC last Friday stated in response to a letter by the APC inviting the Commission
to an emergency NEC meeting of the party convened by the Niger State Governor, Abubakar Sani Bello on behalf of
CECPC it does not recognise Bello as the APC Chairman.
This position has since attracted attacks on the Commission by some APC chieftains who have openly dared INEC to stand on its way to conduct both the emergency NEC meeting on March 17 and the proposed National Convention on March 26.
The Spokesman of the party’s CECPC, Ismaila Ahmed, who is also the APC Youth Leader has been more critical of INEC’s stand on being served a “the 21 days Notice of any meeting by political parties” as recommended by the Electoral Act 2022.
