People’s Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain, Umar Sani, has raised questions over the legitimacy of the recent National Working Committee (NWC) meeting held at the party’s secretariat in Abuja. Speaking during an interview with AIT from 13:36, Sani faulted the process and emphasised that the meeting failed to meet the constitutional requirements of the party.
He explained that according to the PDP Constitution, two-thirds of NWC members must be present to form a valid quorum. With 16 members in total, a minimum of 11 is required to legally convene a meeting. However, only 9 members reportedly attended the session that was held on the day NEC had already fixed a general meeting. This, according to Sani, renders the NWC gathering procedurally invalid.
According to him, “When NEC takes down a position, only NEC can unwind that decision. So if NEC says there’ll be a meeting on the 30th, there has to be a meeting on the 30th irrespective of whatever happens—even if there are contending issues that ought not to be discussed—but that meeting must hold. And so, this was the position of the National Publicity Secretary that NEC must hold, and Damagun issued a statement conflicting him, which was also wrong. Again, yesterday, at the meeting that they said they held, they said out of 16 members, 9 people were present. Now, our constitution is very clear; it’s not ambiguous at all. It says the quorum for the NWC meeting is two-thirds of members. If members are 16 and 9 are meeting, then they have not formed a quorum.”
