The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declined the notice submitted by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for its forthcoming 100th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, citing non-compliance with procedural guidelines.
In a letter dated June 13, 2025, addressed to the party’s national chairman, INEC stated that the notification failed to meet the requirements outlined in the 2022 Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties.
INEC specifically referenced Part 2(12)3, which mandates that “the National Chairman and National Secretary of the Party shall jointly sign the notice of convention, congress, conference or meeting and submit same to the Commission.”
The letter, signed by the Acting Secretary to the Commission, Hajiya Hau’ru Aminu, stressed that the PDP’s notice lacked the required joint endorsement.
While the notification was submitted within the 21-day timeframe required by law, it was reportedly signed only by the Acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, without the co-signature of the National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu.
“The Commission draws your attention that the notice is not in compliance… Be guided,” the letter read in part.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had notified the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on May 30, 2025, of its plans to hold the NEC meeting on June 30 at its National Secretariat in Abuja.
The meeting is set to address critical party matters, including ongoing internal leadership disputes, the ratification of zonal congresses, and the review of committee reports.
The PDP has been grappling with a severe internal crisis, largely stemming from the aftermath of the 2023 elections. The party recently faced a wave of defections to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), particularly among members of the National Assembly and state structures.
In April, notable figures such as Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, his deputy Monday Onyeme, former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, and several commissioners and political stakeholders in the state defected to the APC. In response, the PDP National Working Committee convened an emergency meeting at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja.
Amid these internal struggles, Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), along with other G5 members, met on June 9, advocating for the PDP to zone its 2027 presidential ticket to the Southern region.
Meanwhile, Atiku Abubakar, the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, has been engaging in consultations to form a strong opposition coalition in preparation for the 2027 elections.
These consultations include prominent political figures such as Peter Obi and Nasir El-Rufai, with whom Atiku aims to build an alliance to counter what they perceive as the emergence of a “one-party state” under the APC.
However, some party members have dismissed the idea of a coalition, while chieftains like Bode George have expressed confidence in resolving internal issues and regrouping ahead of the party’s scheduled NEC meeting.