By our Reporter
The fact-finding committee of the Peoples Democratic Party National Caucus, led by Taraba State Governor Agbu Kefas, informed the 99th National Executive Committee meeting on Tuesday that the Independent National Electoral Commission had recognised Senator Samuel Anyanwu as the party’s National Secretary.
On Monday, the NEC established a three-member committee led by Kefas, with Governors Dauda Lawal (Zamfara) and Peter Mbah (Enugu), PDP National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade SAN, as members, to verify whether INEC recognised Anyanwu, a loyalist of the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, as the party’s scribe.
It was learnt that the Kefas panel informed the 99th NEC on Tuesday in Abuja that INEC had affirmed Anyanwu as the party’s national secretary in line with a Supreme Court judgment.
The sources stated, “The findings of the Kefas Committee, earlier set up by the National Caucus, were presented to the NEC. The findings revealed that INEC recognises Anyanwu because he has not been officially removed.
“INEC told them that Anyanwu has not been removed and that the Commission must be given at least 21 days’ notice. It also has to witness the removal process.
‘’Therefore, the NEC decided to receive the South-East petition and scheduled it for further deliberation at another meeting slated for June 30 to perfect the removal process.
“Also, while the meeting was ongoing, Anyanwu’s running mate during the last Imo State governorship election, Jones Onyereri, moved a motion that the South-East Zonal National Chairman, Ali Odefa, should not be recognised. He argued that Odefa had been suspended and removed by a court ruling.
“When the situation began to get rowdy, Onyereri was asked to submit a formal petition on the matter at the next NEC meeting.”
According to the Kefas committee’s report, exclusively obtained by our correspondent, the Enugu governor, who met with an INEC representative, disclosed that no replacement could be made until Anyanwu was removed in line with the party’s Constitution.
The report read in part, “H.E Peter Mba met with INEC contact and reported to the committee the position/status of the National Secretary thus: That the commission still recognised Sen. Anyanwu as the National Secretary of the party in consonance with the Supreme Court judgment
“That there’s no vacancy to be replaced until Anyanwu is removed in accordance with the Constitution of the party. That notice of 21 days should be given to the commission for any such meeting to remove and or replace an official of the Party
“That the NEC meeting should be in compliance with the provisions of the party’s Constitution and requirements in the Electoral Act in the case of removal/appointment of an official of the Party.
“The committee resolved to recommend to the forum that the procedure and the processes be followed to complete the acceptance of the recommendation of the South East caucus in order to lay to rest the agitation and put the Party back on track in South East.
“Also, the party in NEC should acknowledge the request/ recommendation of the South-East caucus to be considered at the next meeting, amongst other things.”
