June 24, (THEWILL) – Governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and key members of the party’s leadership, on Wednesday, met with officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja.
Led by Acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, the meeting was attended by Governors Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Caleb Mutfwang (Plateau), Dauda Lawal (Zamfara), the Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum and Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, former Governors Ahmad Makarfi and Seriake Dickson, and former PDP National Secretary, Ben Obi.
The meeting, held behind closed doors, was part of efforts to resolve the controversy surrounding the 100th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting.
THEWILL reports that the PDP had on 30th of May, 2025, written to INEC, informing the commission of its decision to hold its 100th NEC meeting on June 30. The letter was signed by the acting National Chairman of the PDP, Amb. Ilya Damagum.
But the Commission had rejected the party’s notice for the NEC meeting. INEC had said the letter of notification failed to comply with extant rules and guidelines.
Speaking during the open session of the meeting, Damagum thanked INEC for granting the audience, describing the engagement as both rare and important.
“We are here today to discuss and interact with you sincerely because we had NEC, and there was a decision of NEC which mandated me to sign a letter to avoid controversy. And I received your reply to that letter, urging us to be guided by the rules. So I think we are here to interact sincerely with you, off camera, so that it will guide us when we get back to have a position”, he said.
In his response, INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, confirmed that the meeting was requested by the PDP and emphasised that the commission remains open to all registered political parties in line with its regulatory responsibilities.
Yakubu expressed concern about inconsistencies in the party’s communications, noting that INEC had received letters naming different individuals as the party’s National Secretary and calling for clarity on the issue.
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