- Safiu Kehinde
The Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) National Working Committee has slammed one-month suspension on its National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu, and its National Organising Secretary, Hon. Umar Bature, over alleged anti-party activities.
This is coming barely a day after an Abuja Federal High Court sitting ordered the suspension of the party’s planned National Convention.
NPO Reported that a faction of the party had filed a suit challenging the legality of the convention.
In his ruling on Friday, Justice James Omotosho, stalled the PDP convention slated to commencement on November 15th, while ordering the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to reject the outcome of the convention.
Omotosho held that the PDP failed to comply with relevant conditions and laws for the conduct of such conventions.
In the wake of the suspension, the PDP’s National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, announced the suspension of Anyanwu and Bature during NWC’s 608th meeting on Saturday.
Also suspended by the party were the National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade (SAN); and Deputy National Legal Adviser, Barr. Okechukwu Osuoha.
Ologunagba said that the suspension was in pursuant to the provisions of Sections 58 and 59 of the PDP Constitution (as amended in 2017).
He said that the national officers were suspended for a period of one month and referred to the National Disciplinary Committee for further action.
Ologunagba said that the NWC met and reviewed the party’s activities, particularly the recent development, including party members involving in anti-party activities.
He recalled that the party had, on August 8, issued reprimands to members over anti-party activities which were spelt out in Section 58 of the PDP Constitution.
Ologunagba said that the section specifically refers to ‘anybody who commits any breach of the party’s constitution, any member who says or does anything likely to bring the party into disrepute, hatred or contempt, disobeys or neglects to carry out lawful directives, of the party, or any organ, or officer of the party’.
He said that the section specifically emphasised on ‘any member who engages in any conduct likely to cause disaffection among members of the party, or is likely to disrupt the peaceful, lawful and efficient conduct of the business of the party’.
“So, the NWC considered this, with other actions, in line with the constitution of the party and came to this following decision:
“One, the National Legal Adviser, Ajibade suspended for 30 days and is referred to the national disciplinary committee of the party.
“Two, the Deputy National Legal Adviser, Osuoha, was suspended for 30 days, in line with the constitution, and referred to the National Disciplinary Committee, as may be necessary.
“Three, the National Organising Secretary, Bature, suspended for one month, and referred to the national disciplinary committee.
“Third, the National Secretary, Anyanwu, suspended for one month, and referred to the national disciplinary committee,” he said.
Ologunagba maintained that during the period of the suspension, the affected officers would cease to function in their respective capacities.
“In the case of the national secretary, Pursuant to Section 36(2) of the PDP Constitution, the Deputy National Secretary, Setonji Koshoedo shall act as the national secretary.
“In the case of the national legal adviser and the deputy national legal adviser, the national director of legal services was directed to oversee the activities of the department,” he said.
Asked why the suspended members were not at the NWC meeting, Ologunagba said that the party’s National Chairman, Umar Damagum, who was present at the meeting, had the constitutional power to summon the NWC meeting.
“This is an emergency meeting and under Section 29 of the constitution of the party, the chairman conveys the meeting.
“The meeting was properly called, and then people are here, and that decision has been taken,” he said.
Ologunagba restated that the party would continue with its scheduled national convention in spite the Friday court verdict.
“We’re a party that respects the rule of law. We will always obey court orders. We have done that in the past.
“However, the court didn’t say the party should stop existing. The process of the party will continue. So, that is what we communicated.
“We are disappointed with the judgment. However, as a party, we will continue our processes,” he said.