Purported suspension, expulsion of political bigwigs unconstitutional — Enugu APC legal adviser
The legal adviser of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Enugu State, Mr Jerry Eneh, has described the purported suspension and expulsion of some political bigwigs of the party as unconstitutional.
This comes as the various wards of the affected APC bigwigs had passed a vote of confidence on them, saying they were not consulted by the chairman before he took the action.
The party Chairman, Mr Ugochukwu Agballah, and some few executive members of the party on Thursday expelled and suspended some key stakeholders in the party, accusing them of anti-party activities.
The affected bigwigs were Sen. Ken Nnamani from ward 2 Amechi Uwani Enugu South Local Government Area (LGA); Mr Geoffrey Onyeama, Eke ward, Udi LGA; Mr Sullivan Chime, Udi/ Agbudu ward Udi LGA; Chief Flavour Eze Udi/Agbudu ward Udi LGA.
Others are Osita Okechukwu, Eke ward, Udi LGA; Eugene Odo, Nkporogwu/Umurusi Ukehe ward 4, Igbo Etiti LGA. Joe Mmamel, Aguobu-Owa, Ward 2, Ezeagu LGA and Maduka Arum, Awkunanaw ward 8, Enugu South LGA.
While briefing journalists on Sunday in Enugu, the APC legal adviser said he was not aware of the purported expulsion and suspension, stressing that the State Executive Committee was not authorised by the party’s constitution to take such an action.
Eneh hinted that such action can be initiated from ward to local government level before the state can suspend or expel any member and wondered why the process was not followed.
The APC legal adviser maintained that none of the suspended or expelled party bigwigs had suffered such fate in their respective wards or local government, and wondered why Agballah was in a hurry to expel or suspend them.
He noted that the illegality perpetuated by Agballah and his cohorts cannot stand because it was taken in error and in total disregard of the constitution guiding the party.
Also speaking during the briefing, the State Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr Charles Akor, asked the APC Chairman to immediately resign, accusing him of running the party as a private business.
Akor said the actions of Agballah and his cohorts were responsible for the abysmal failure of the party in the just-concluded presidential and governorship elections in the state, despite huge amount of money budgeted for the purpose.
The party spokesman alleged that Agballah not only pocketed the money but did not campaign for the APC presidential candidate, Sen. Bola Tinubu.
Akor hinted that in 2019 before the Agballah came on board, APC got 56,000 votes, noting that in 2023 they got 4,000 vote and said it was a shame.
He wondered what the few SEC members would gain from suspending and expelling the party bigwigs, who he argued had been trying to widen the acceptance of APC in Enugu State, describing the move as wrong and ill-timed.
Akor urged the APC chairman to find ways of reconciling members of the party, instead of taking selfish actions that would further divide APC in Enugu State.
Meanwhile, the wards, in a statement, disagreed with the few SEC members of the party, saying they had confidence in the current leadership of the party.
“We wish to inform members of our party and the general public that our leaders are very committed and supportive of our great party – the All Progressives Congress (APC) in our wards.
“We are surprised to hear that the state has expelled them from our party. We totally condemn such an act taken by the State without recourse to his ward.
“We therefore exonerate ourselves from such unconstitutional action taken against our leaders whom all of us look up to.
“All the party organs are by this notice advised to disregard such purported suspension,” the statement added.
