From Priscilla Ediare, Ado-Ekiti
As the crisis rocking the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State lingers, indications have emerged that the party may be faced with trouble in next year’s governorship election over the conduct of the Ward, Local government and State Congresses held in 2020 the state.
This is as a letter from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) indicated that the body monitored one of the parallel ward congresses but did not monitor the local government and state congresses which produced the party officials at the three levels.
A source within the leadership of the party said the situation required the urgent intervention of the PDP National Working Committee led by Prince Uche Secondus “to avert labouring in vain only for the All Progressives Congress(APC) to reap the fruits in the forthcoming governorship election.”
The INEC position was made known by the Resident Electoral Commissioner(REC) in Ekiti State, Dr Adeniran Tella, in a letter dated June 23, 2021 Ref number INEC/EK/S/EPM/VI/56/1107 titled, ‘Re: PDP ward delegates and ad-hoc local government and state congresses held March 7, August 26 and August 29, 2020 : Request for the Certified True Copy of the report of INEC Monitoring Team in line with the constitutional provision’
INEC had stated, “However, the congresses (Ward) were monitored in the morning by our officials as scheduled, but later in the evening of same day, some PDP officials came up with another format, but our officials could not monitor the conduct though results were later turned in too thus making it a parallel congress.
“Sequel to your request in respect of the Local Government and State Congresses, you are hereby referred to a letter earlier written in respect of same dated 29th September, 2020 with Reference no. INEC/S/LOG/8/56/1042 confirming that the Commission in the State did not monitor the two congresses due to the parallel congresses conducted by factions of the party and the subsequent litigation arising thereof,” the electoral body had stated.
The source, who said the INEC position was damning and capable of rendering the victory of PDP in the 2022 election useless, said, “The NWC must take immediate action to reconcile the two groups in the Ekiti PDP crisis so that INEC can withdraw that report.
“It shows clearly that Section 83 of the Electoral Law which mandates INEC to supervise and monitor all political parties’ activities including finance, congresses and conferences has been violated.
“To withdraw the INEC report, PDP NWC should explore one of two options; one is for the NWC to order for fresh congresses in Ekiti State from ward to state level.
“The other is for NWC to call the warring parties and advice them to come forward with harmonised list which will be supported in the presence of INEC and PDP National Organising Secretary,” he said.
According to him, “in the absence of reconciliation, the APC which is watching, may choose not to campaign, and at the end of the day go to court if PDP wins to claim the victory as done in Zamfara State in the 2019 general elections.”