Ward chairmen don’t need to authenticate your membership cards – PDP

The People’s Democratic Party has said the authentication of membership cards solely lies in the hands of the national chairman and national secretary of the party.

PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba said this in a statement he signed.

Ologunagba said this clarification was necessary as members elect delegates ahead of the parties primaries for the 2023 general elections.

According to him, members do need any authentication of their membership cards by their ward chairmen again once it’s been done by the two aforementioned national officers.

“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 schedule 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, are the National Chairman and the National Secretary through their signatures on the Cards.
The PDP Constitution 2017 (as amended) in Chapter 2, Part 1, Article 8(7) is clear in providing that ‘the Membership Card shall be produced by the National Headquarters and authenticated by the National Chairman and the National Secretary’

“For emphasis, members holding Membership Cards duly 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 National Chairman 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,” the statement read.