Immediate past chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Enugu State, Dr. Ben Nwoye, has commended the national leadership of the party for warning state chapters against incessant and arbitrary suspension and expulsion of members.
Nwoye, a serving Federal Commissioner representing South East in the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) described the APC national leadership for taking the position which he described as a “good development.”
He stated this while speaking with newsmen yesterday after paying a condolence visit on former Senate President, Senator Ken Nnamani, at his Amechi Country home in Enugu South Council area over the recent Demise of his wife, Mrs. Jane Nnamani.
The former APC chairman maintained that such action by States, including Enugu, remains counterproductive for the party.
“The caution by the national leadership of our great party is a good development, but I still maintained that the issue of the so called ratification of Purported suspension of big wigs of APC in South East by some people is illegal, because there is no such thing like ratification in our constitution, which is the law guiding our operation.”
Recall that the South East APC led by the National Vice Chairman, Dr. Ijeomah Arodiogu, had recently announced the ratification of suspension and expulsion of some key members of the party in Enugu and Abia states, including former Senate president, Ken Nnamani, Senator Orji Uzo Kalu, Dr. Ben Nwoye, Minister of Foreign Affairs,, Geoffery Onyeama former governor of Enugu state, Barr. Sullivan Chime, Directed General of Voice of Nigeria, Osita Okechukwu,, former Enugu state House of Assembly Speaker Eugene Odo, amongst others .
But, Nwoye, said it’s unfortunate that the same people who allegedly worked against the victory of APC in the South East are the same people who are now tarnishing the image of the true progressive in the region.
“The anti APC agents who worked for the PDP and Labour party LP, during general elections, are same people constituting illegal panel to suspend and expel the real progressives in the zone”
“They just woke up one morning, converged in Owerri, Imo state to announce the suspension and expulsion of key members of the APC, without charges against them, or right to be heard.
Nwoye insisted that “suspension is not done in a Court of public opinion. You must give the person a fair hearing, and the person must be entitled to an appeal” he pointed out.
“These people doing this in the South East are paid agents of Labour and PDP. They are job seekers who want to reap where they did not sow. Their plan is to destabilize our party in the South East.
“Same people announcing suspension and expulsion of key members in the South East are people who worked against the president elect, Senator Ahmed Bola Tinubu during the primary and main elections.
However, the National Working Committee NWC of the party through the publicity Secretary, Barrister Felix Morka, had recently in a statement noted “with deep concern the spate of disciplinary actions emanating from various state chapters, including suspension and expulsion, of party members for alleged infractions in the wake of the just concluded national elections”.
According to Morka, the party takes the matter of discipline of its members seriously as a necessary mechanism for the maintenance of a strong, vibrant and cohesive party at all levels.
The statement posited that the decision is in contravention of Article 21(B) of the APC Constitution which provides that the executive committees at all levels shall have original jurisdiction the heat and determine any complaint brought before them against any member or public official.
“However, this is a highly inauspicious time for these actions, as meritorious as they may be, given the important upcoming leadership transition and inauguration of our new government.
“The Party hereby directs that action be stayed on all disciplinary matters pending further directives of the National Working Committee on the effective review and treatment of disciplinary matters”
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