INEC Rejects PDP NEC Meeting Notice Over Incomplete Signatures

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has invalidated a notice from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) concerning its upcoming National Executive Council (NEC) meeting, citing non-compliance with electoral guidelines.

In a letter dated May 30, the PDP had informed INEC of plans to convene its 100th NEC meeting on June 30 at the party’s national headquarters in Abuja. The notice was signed by acting National Chairman Umar Damagum and submitted within the required 21-day window.

However, INEC responded on June 13, stating that the communication failed to meet the stipulations outlined in Part 2(12)3 of the 2022 Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties. This rule requires such notices to bear the signatures of both the national chairman and the national secretary.

INEC emphasized that the omission of the national secretary’s signature rendered the notice invalid.

This procedural snag comes amid a bitter internal struggle within the PDP over who rightfully holds the position of national secretary. The dispute involves two claimants: Samuel Anyanwu, the party’s 2023 governorship candidate in Imo State, and Sunday Udeh-Okoye, who was nominated by the party’s South-East zonal body as Anyanwu’s replacement.

Though Udeh-Okoye secured a favourable judgment from the Court of Appeal in December 2024, declaring him the rightful officeholder, Anyanwu insists that his appeal to the Supreme Court and application for a stay of execution are still valid. However, in March 2025, the Supreme Court dismissed the matter, categorizing it as an internal party issue beyond its jurisdiction.

With the leadership question unresolved within the PDP, INEC’s rejection of the NEC meeting notice throws a wrench into the party’s preparations and further exposes the deep fractures threatening its internal cohesion.