PDP, LP absent at INEC’s consultative meeting with parties’ leaders

By Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leadership was conspicuously absent at the Independent National Electoral Commission’s I(NEC) second regular consultative meeting with leaders of registered political parties in the country held Thursday in Abuja.

Also, the Labour Party (LP) leaders were not in attendance at the meeting held at the Zambezi crescent, Maitama, Abuja headquarters of the Prof Mahmood Yakubu-led INEC.

The meeting was between the Commission and Chairmen and Secretaries of the registered political parties in the country.

The embattled National Chairman of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, Shehu Gabam however attended the meeting alone without the party’s National Secretary, Prof Olu Agunloye.

Leaders of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, APP, AAC, ADC and Booth party among others, were in attendance.

Findings showed that the crises rocking the PDP and LP must have contributed to their leaders decision to boycott the meeting.

The PDP is currently enmeshed in a crisis as to who is its authentic National Secretary among others.

It will be recalled that the PDP leaders, including some National Working Committee, NWC, members, some Governors and other stakeholders were at the INEC office on Tuesday for a meeting with the commission’s Chairman, Prof Yakubu with a view to finding a way of resolving the Secretaryship crisis.

The meeting however could not find a solution to the issue.

At the end of the Tuesday’s meeting, the acting National Chairman of PDP, Amb Ilya Damagum told journalists that the party’s delegation would be coming back to INEC for another meeting with the commission’s Chairman.

The tagged seats reserved for the PDP and LP leaders were however empty on Thursday.

Before the meeting went into a closed door session, the Chairman on INEC, in his opening speech, expressed the Commission’s appreciation to the party leaders in attendance for always responding to invitation to the important consultative meetings.

According to him, “The Commission is not unaware that this is a busy time for you with the commencement of campaigns for the Anambra State Governorship election as well as the conduct of party primaries for the Area Council elections in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

 “Let me therefore express the Commission’s appreciation to you for always responding to our invitation to these important consultative meetings in spite of the busy schedules of elections and electoral activities”, Yakubu said.