We won't meddle in PDP internal affairs -INEC

The Independent National Electoral  Commission on Tuesday said that it would not interfere in the crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party.

Chief Press Secretary to the commission's chairman, Mr. Kayode Idowu, said this in his response to an enquiry by The PUNCH on whether the faction of the party led by former acting National Chairman of the PDP, Kawu Baraje, had approached INEC for recognition.

"INEC does not meddle in the internal affairs of political parties," Idowu said. He declined further comments after saying that.

Ex-Vice President Abubakar Atiku, six northern governors and Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi had on Saturday while the PDP mini convention was going on announced the formation of a splinter group from the main PDP.

The northern state governors involved are those of Niger, Babangida Aliyu; Sokoto, Aliyu Wammako; Jigawa, Sule Lamido; Kano, Rabiu Musa Kwankawanso; Adamawa, Muritala Nyako; and Kwara, Abdulfatai Ahmed.

The breakaway faction hinged its decision to split the party on the emergence of a 'Unity List' at the special national convention of the PDP, which held in Abuja. It alleged that some supporters of the seven governors were stopped from contesting party offices.

As the chairman of the convention electoral committee, former Senate President Ken Nnamani, announced the names of candidates for election at the convention, the governors stormed out of the Eagle Square venue of the convention.

They were to re-emerge, along with Amaechi, who was not at the convention because of his suspension from the party, at the Shehu Musa Yar'Adua Conference Centre, where they named Baraje as national chairman of the 'New PDP'; former PDP Deputy National Chairman, Sam Jaja as deputy national chairman; and  former Osun State Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola, who was recently removed as PDP National Secretary on the orders of the court, emerged as the national secretary for the new faction.

But the PDP National Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, described the breakaway politicians as treacherous.

Punch