Leader of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), Peter Mutharika, has commended some National Governing Council (NGC) members for not attending the controversial National Governing Council meeting which he has labeled as illegal.
DPP Secretary General Grezelder Jeffrey called for NGC meeting which was held yesterday at Golden Peacock Hotel in Lilongwe where 30 delegates are reported to have physically attended while four other delegates are reported to have attended online.
Among others, members at the NGC meeting have agreed that the party will host a national elective conference from 15th to 16th December this year in Lilongwe and have since elected Nicholus Dausi as Chairperson for the Elective Convention
However, the current DPP president Mutharika, through a press statement released on Wednesday evening, 6th December, 2023 and signed by his spokesperson Shadric Namalomba, has branded the NGC meeting as “illegal”.
Mutharika through Namalomba has commended all members who did not avail themselves to the Wednesday NGC meeting saying this shows that they really adhere to the party rules and the constitution.
“His Excellency Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika, President of Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and Former President of the Republic of Malawi, sincerely extends his vote of thanks to Members of the National Governing Council who refused to be hoodwinked to attend an illegal meeting called by the renegade Secretary General.
“The non-attendance of the meeting strongly manifests their vote of confidence in the rule of law and adherence to the Constitution of the Party. Any resolutions, therefore, that may have been made at the illegal meeting are invalid. His Excellency Prof. Arthur Peter Mutharika will, in due course, call for a meeting of the Central Executive Committee to discuss and map the way forward,” reads part of the statement.
Some of the notable people who attended the NGC meeting included DPP Vice President for the South Kondwani Nankhumwa who is also the leader of opposition, DPP Vice President for Central Uladi Musa, Ken Msonda, Nicholas Dausi, Ralph Jooma and Mark Botomani.
According to Jeffrey, the National Governing Council meeting in Lilongwe is in line with the court order in September this year which directed the party to meet and hold an elective convention within 90 days.
