To avoid running afoul of the Electoral Act and legitimacy of its candidates, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has clarified that only democratically elected delegates can vote in its primaries and national convention, which it will use the indirect mode to conduct.
Gatekeepers News reports that the party made the clarification on Saturday in a statement by the National Organizing Secretary, Umar M. Bature.
Therefore, only the three ad-hoc delegates elected per ward and one national delegate elected in the local government areas across the country are eligible to vote at the exercises.
The party also announced the shifting of its primaries to elect State House of Assembly candidates.
The State Assembly primaries was moved from Saturday, May 21, 2022, to Sunday, May 22, 2022, the same day that the House of Representatives will take place.
The statement reads: “By virtue of Section 84(8) of the Electoral Act, 2022, delegates to vote at the Indirect Primaries and National Convention of political parties to elect candidates for elections shall be those democratically elected for that purpose only.
“Consequently those qualified and eligible to vote as delegates in the forthcoming Primaries and National Convention of our great Party, the PDP are the three (3) AD-HOC Delegates per ward, elected at the Ward Congresses and one (1) National Delegate per Local Government, elected at the Local Government Area Congresses.
“Furthermore, the NWC wishes to inform our Party members that the State Houses of Assembly Primaries to elect our State House of Assembly candidates, earlier scheduled for Saturday, May 21, 2022, will now hold on Sunday, May 22, 2022, from 8:00 am to 12 noon; while the House of Representatives Primaries to elect our House of Representatives candidates will also hold on Sunday, May 22, 2022, from 2:00 pm.
“All aspirants, critical stakeholders, leaders and teeming members of our Party should please take note.”
The PDP’s position is not unconnected with the delay by President Muhammadu Buhari to sign the fresh amendment to the Electoral Act into law, which if not assented to by Sunday, will make it impossible for non-elected delegates to vote during the exercises.
The political parties, which have already scheduled their primaries and national conventions, are required by the Electoral Act to submit the lists of their delegates to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) seven days before the national convention.
