The PDP National Working Committee (NWC) has described the alleged suspension of the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT) Chairman, Sen. Adolphus Wabara, as unconstitutional, null and void, and of no effect.
The NWC, in a statement issued by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, on Tuesday in Abuja, said it had been made aware of the alleged suspension of Wabara.
The State Working Committee (SWC) of the PDP in Abia was reported on Tuesday to have suspended Wabara during a meeting presided over by the State Chairman, Abraham Amah.
Ologunagba stated that the alleged suspension was not in accordance with the provisions of the PDP Constitution (as amended in 2017) and the party’s established rules.
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“For emphasis, no state working committee has the authority to suspend or take any disciplinary action against a member of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party without due recourse to the NWC, as clearly outlined under Section 57(7) of the Constitution of the PDP (as amended in 2017).”
“Section 57(7) is unequivocal in its provision on this matter.”
“Notwithstanding any other provision related to discipline, no executive committee at any level, except the national executive committee, shall entertain any question of discipline as it relates to or concerns a member of the national executive committee, deputy governors, or members of the National Assembly,” he explained.
Ologunagba emphasised that the clear meaning of this section was that the Abia chapter had no authority whatsoever to take any disciplinary action against Wabara, as he is a member of the party’s NEC.
“The PDP, therefore, condemns the alleged suspension of Sen. Wabara as reckless and unconstitutional.”
“The party cautions those behind this act, in defiance of the PDP Constitution, to reconsider their actions, as the NWC will not hesitate to take appropriate disciplinary measures to preserve the stability of our party and the sanctity of its constitution,” he said.
Ologunagba also urged all PDP leaders, critical stakeholders, members, and supporters in Abia, the South-East zone, and indeed across the country, to disregard the alleged suspension of Wabara.
The PDP has been embroiled in a leadership crisis, with Sen. Samuel Anyanwu and Sunday Udeh-Okoye continuing to lay claim to the office of the national secretary.
However, the Wabara-led BoT, on 5 February, recognised Udeh-Okoye as the PDP national secretary, rather than the embattled Anyanwu.
While reading the communiqué issued at the end of the BoT meeting in Abuja, Wabara explained that the decision followed the recommendations of the Taminu Turaki-led committee, which had been constituted by the board to examine the legal disputes between Anyanwu and Udeh-Okoye.
