TheCable

Debo Ologunagba, national publicity secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), says only the national chairman and the national secretary are authorised to authenticate party membership cards for congress participation.

Ologunagba said this in a press release on Saturday.

He said information making the rounds in the party’s Lagos chapters that membership cards have to be authenticated by ward chairmen is wrong and only a “misinterpretation”.

He said party members with duly signed membership cards are eligible to participate in the party’s 3-man Ad-Hoc congresses scheduled for Saturday, April 30, 2022.

“The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) hereby clarifies on the membership eligibility to participate in congresses to elect the 3-man Ad-Hoc delegates who shall, in turn, elect party candidates for the 2023 general elections,” the statement reads.

“This clarification becomes necessary following reports of misinterpretation in some chapters, particularly in Lagos state, where some party stakeholders are reportedly demanding that membership cards have to be authenticated by ward chairmen before the holders are eligible to participate in the 3-man Ad-Hoc Congresses scheduled for Saturday, April 30, 2022.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the only authority vested with the power to authenticate party membership cards for eligibility to participate in congresses, including the 3-man Ad-Hoc delegate congresses, is the national chairman and the national secretary through their signatures on the cards.”

He said the process was in line with chapter 2, part 1, Article 8(7) of the PDP’s 2017 constitution (as amended).

He added that members holding membership cards already authenticated by the national chairman and national secretary “do not require any further authentication by ward chairmen or any other officer of the party at any level whatsoever before they can participate in the 3-man Ad-hoc delegate congresses and party primaries”.

“A member with a duly authenticated membership card by the nationalchairman and national Secretary and who is up to date in his financial obligation to the party shall be eligible to participate and vote in the 3-man Ad-hoc delegate congress.

“All party leaders, critical stakeholders and members should note accordingly,” he added.