Chuks Okocha in Abuja
The Interim National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led by Tanimu Turaki (SAN) has asked aspirants from the party that were not given the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) Access Codes to register and upload their nominations as candidates to remain calm, as the matter was still in court.
The PDP faction further urged the aspirants who were threatening to drag the interim NWC to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for deceiving them to recall the party’s experience in Plateau State where the Court of Appeal upturned the victory of the already elected members of both the National Assembly and state assembly.
Some members of the party who purchased the nomination forms from the Turaki-led PDP NWC were threatening to drag the NWC to the EFCC for knowing that they were not the recognised and legitimate PDP and yet sold forms to them.
The group known as “Concerned PDP Aspirants” claimed it was fraudulent, knowing full well they were on a wild goose chase.
According to the petition, “We spent hundreds of millions of Naira in purchasing the nomination forms and expression of interest forms as well as the necessary publicity expenses and other logistics funding.
“We want the INWC led by Tanimu Turaki to address our concerns on this matter, else we seek redress in the necessary arms of security agencies, including the EFCC “, the one-page petition stated.
INEC released the access codes to its portal last week to the PDP led by Abdulrahman Mohammed.
By implication, it is the candidates that registered with the Nyesom Wike-based party that are recognised by the election management body.
The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja in 2023 sacked 11 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lawmakers in the Plateau State House of Assembly in a similar matter.
In a unanimous decision, the panel led by Justice Okon Abang held that all the sacked lawmakers scored wasted votes during the March 2023 general election because their party lacked structure.
But speaking with THISDAY yesterday, the National Publicity Secretary of the Turaki-led PDP NWC, Ini Emeombong, urged the aspirants to be calm, stating that the matter was still in court.
According to Emeombong, “This matter is still in court. They should be calm.
“They should bear in mind the recent situation in Plateau State in a similar matter concerning our party. This matter is still in court. It is a pre-election matter.
“We are happy with the processes of the matter in court. Victory will be served at the end of the day. INEC is aware of the processes,” Emeombong stated.
Moreover, the spokesman of the Turaki-led NWC said INEC was yet to publish the final list of candidates expected to contest the 2027 general election, explaining that “we are on the side of the law as victory will be ours at the end of the day. We shall see who shall laugh last in this matter.
“My final word of advice to them in this matter is that they should not jump the gun,” he said.
This Day
Punch Nigeria