The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party
(PDP) has suspended Senator Andy Uba, his younger brother, Chief Chris
Uba, the factional chairman of the party in the state, Chief Ejike
Oguebego, and three other party chieftains who were accused of
conducting a parallel state congress for the nomination of a
governorship candidate in Anambra State last Saturday.
A letter in this regard was dispatched to the affected party chieftains yesterday by the acting National Secretary of PDP, Dr. Charles Aderemi Akitoye, who wrote to inform them of the decision of the party for snubbing the NWC, which had invited them to explain the role they played at the parallel congress.
A letter in this regard was dispatched to the affected party chieftains yesterday by the acting National Secretary of PDP, Dr. Charles Aderemi Akitoye, who wrote to inform them of the decision of the party for snubbing the NWC, which had invited them to explain the role they played at the parallel congress.
In the suspension letter dated August 29, 2013, the party said: “The
NWC at its 353rd meeting held on Wednesday, 28th August, 2013, reviewed
the happenings in Anambra PDP regarding the Anambra Primary Election.
“It was noted that you organised a parallel state congress which was unauthorised by the party contrary to section 58 (1) a, b, c, f, h and j of the PDP constitution (2012 as amended).
“As a result of this, you were invited to meet with the NWC on Wednesday 28, August, 2013 for fair hearing, but you did not appear.
“In view of the seriousness of the issues involved, you are hereby suspended from the party and the case referred to the appropriate disciplinary committee for further necessary action.”
“It was noted that you organised a parallel state congress which was unauthorised by the party contrary to section 58 (1) a, b, c, f, h and j of the PDP constitution (2012 as amended).
“As a result of this, you were invited to meet with the NWC on Wednesday 28, August, 2013 for fair hearing, but you did not appear.
“In view of the seriousness of the issues involved, you are hereby suspended from the party and the case referred to the appropriate disciplinary committee for further necessary action.”
In order to preempt the PDP, it was learnt that the affected party
chieftains obtained a court order stopping the party from taking any
disciplinary action against them, but the party beat them to it by
notifying them of the suspension before they got the court order.
Other than the two Ubas, the former chairman of the party in the
state, Chief Benji Udeozor, and Mrs. Anthonia Nwankwu were also suspended. The NWC had constituted itself into a disciplinary committee and summoned them to appear before it but the invitees ignored the invitation and were seen going about their activities in Abuja.
Other than the two Ubas, the former chairman of the party in the
state, Chief Benji Udeozor, and Mrs. Anthonia Nwankwu were also suspended. The NWC had constituted itself into a disciplinary committee and summoned them to appear before it but the invitees ignored the invitation and were seen going about their activities in Abuja.
Apart from expressing dissatisfaction with the holding of the parallel
congress, the NWC after its meeting on Wednesday, also asked the
Inspector-General of Police (IG), Mohammed Abubakar, to investigate how
participants at the congress where Andy Uba emerged the parallel
candidate of the party, procured sensitive PDP electoral materials.
Reacting to his suspension, Chris Uba described it as premeditated, as the NWC invitation got to him late.
He said he is resident in Enugu, but the summon to appear before the party’s executive organ was addressed to his Abuja residence.
Uba also said as part of the premeditated plan to suspend him from the party, the letter inviting him to appear before the NWC was backdated and that was why he rushed to the court to stop PDP from executing any ulterior plans against him.
Uba brandished an order from a Federal High Court presided over by Justice A. A. Mohammed to show cause why PDP should suspend him from the party.
He said he is resident in Enugu, but the summon to appear before the party’s executive organ was addressed to his Abuja residence.
Uba also said as part of the premeditated plan to suspend him from the party, the letter inviting him to appear before the NWC was backdated and that was why he rushed to the court to stop PDP from executing any ulterior plans against him.
Uba brandished an order from a Federal High Court presided over by Justice A. A. Mohammed to show cause why PDP should suspend him from the party.
Uba wondered why PDP had suspended him, given that he was not the
person who conducted the parallel congress that elected his brother,
Andy, as the governorship candidate of the party.
He also queried why he was singled out for suspension when there were other governorship aspirants and contestants at the parallel congress.
He also queried why he was singled out for suspension when there were other governorship aspirants and contestants at the parallel congress.
In furtherance of its objective to present its preferred candidate for
the Anambra governorship election, the PDP yesterday submitted Chief
Tony Nwoye’s name as its candidate for the November 16 poll in the
state.
In a letter dated August 29, 2013 and signed by the PDP National Chairman, Bamanga Tukur and Akitoye, the party said Nwoye would fly the PDP governorship ticket at the election.
The PDP letter submitting Nwoye’s name was acknowledged by a staff member of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the chairman’s office.
Last Saturday, parallel congresses of the party produced two governorship candidates for the party - Nwoye and Andy Uba.
While Nwoye emerged from the primary conducted by the electoral panel set up by the national leadership of the party, Uba emerged at another congress which was supervised by INEC officials who were detailed to monitor the PDP primaries.
In a letter dated August 29, 2013 and signed by the PDP National Chairman, Bamanga Tukur and Akitoye, the party said Nwoye would fly the PDP governorship ticket at the election.
The PDP letter submitting Nwoye’s name was acknowledged by a staff member of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the chairman’s office.
Last Saturday, parallel congresses of the party produced two governorship candidates for the party - Nwoye and Andy Uba.
While Nwoye emerged from the primary conducted by the electoral panel set up by the national leadership of the party, Uba emerged at another congress which was supervised by INEC officials who were detailed to monitor the PDP primaries.
Prior to the conduct of the parallel primaries, there has been a
dispute between the electoral commission and PDP over the authentic
state chairman of the party in the state, with INEC recognising
Oguebego, while the party disowned him.
In the meantime, the Niger State Governor Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, yesterday declared that he would not abandon the party to form a new party or join an existing one, stating that his sojourn in the ruling party was spiritually inspired.
Aliyu, who said this after meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan, noted that he had once prayed to be the Head of Service of the
In the meantime, the Niger State Governor Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, yesterday declared that he would not abandon the party to form a new party or join an existing one, stating that his sojourn in the ruling party was spiritually inspired.
Aliyu, who said this after meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan, noted that he had once prayed to be the Head of Service of the
Federation but ended up being a governor, adding: “I am not a quitter.
God took me to PDP. My prayer was to be a head of service but God said I
should be governor under PDP and I am not about quitting now unless I
am dismissed. But I am not jumping from one party to another.”
He told journalists at the Presidential Villa that he bears the president no grudge but had issues with some of the policies being executed by the federal government.
Aliyu, who is one of the five northern governors that have been junketing round the country and holding consultations with various political stakeholders and has been tied to the registration of a new political party, Voice of the People (VOP), said some mischief-makers “want to put people against each other.”
He told journalists at the Presidential Villa that he bears the president no grudge but had issues with some of the policies being executed by the federal government.
Aliyu, who is one of the five northern governors that have been junketing round the country and holding consultations with various political stakeholders and has been tied to the registration of a new political party, Voice of the People (VOP), said some mischief-makers “want to put people against each other.”
“We have many issues and unless they are discussed, there is no way you
can solve them. I don't think it is against the president. Some issues
came up and they have been discussed. You remember our problems in the
Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) we are discussing how to resolve them,”
he said.
Exonerating the president from involvement in the crises rocking the governors’ forum, the governor, who is also the Chairman of the Northern Governors Forum, denied being involved or having knowledge of the formation of VOP.
On the suspension of his Rivers State counterpart, Chibuike Amaechi, from the PDP, Aliyu said some people were misinterpreting the constitution of the party
Exonerating the president from involvement in the crises rocking the governors’ forum, the governor, who is also the Chairman of the Northern Governors Forum, denied being involved or having knowledge of the formation of VOP.
On the suspension of his Rivers State counterpart, Chibuike Amaechi, from the PDP, Aliyu said some people were misinterpreting the constitution of the party
“If I understand our constitution right, it says you can be suspended
for 30 days, after which NEC will have to rectify it. Now 30 days have
passed and the issue has not been brought to NEC, so on that part that
issue has lapsed.
“But another angle is being brought into it that the issue is in court. In other words, our colleague has to withdraw the case from court or it will take the natural process.
“But another angle is being brought into it that the issue is in court. In other words, our colleague has to withdraw the case from court or it will take the natural process.
“But then you see so many things happening in Rivers State. Suddenly,
we were reading about people being dismissed. So I think some people are
reading the constitution of the PDP upside down,” he said.
He said he had come to see the president to remind him of some issues they had discussed previously, chiefly: “The roads in Niger, my airport, which has been dormant for sometime, and other issues linked to the Ministry of Aviation. I know that he will help us resolve these issues.”
He said he had come to see the president to remind him of some issues they had discussed previously, chiefly: “The roads in Niger, my airport, which has been dormant for sometime, and other issues linked to the Ministry of Aviation. I know that he will help us resolve these issues.”
Chuks Okocha and รข€¨Muhammad Bello in Abuja
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