– Insists On Supremacy Of Party Constitution
The Peoples Democratic Party PDP, Imo State chapter, has said that Engr Charles Ugwu and Kissinger Ikeokwu (Esq), as the Chairman and Legal Adviser of the party respectively despite what it described as the rascality and indiscipline exhibited by some misguided officers of the party.
The party, in a release signed by its State Legal Adviser, Kissinger Ikeokwu and made available to the press, stated that, “the attention of the PDP, Imo State has been drawn to a document in circulation purportedly signed by one Mr. Njaka Duruiheoma who is the Assistant State Secretary (Orlu Zone) of the PDP and few misguided officers of the Party.
First we wish to place it on record that the Constitution of the PDP, 2017 as amended made provision for procedures for discipline and removal of elected officers of the Party at any level. The Constitution does not empower few individuals to gather and write a document purporting to be a “Resolution” to pass a vote of no confidence or suspend an officer of the Party, talk more a State Chairman validly elected by a State Congress, which is the highest organ of the Party at the state level.
For the avoidance of doubt, Article 47(3) & (4) of the Constitution of the Peoples Democratic Party, 2017 as amended empowers only the State Congress to take a “Vote of Confidence” for the removal of a State Officer of the Party. On the procedure for the removal of any officer of the Party, Article 57(3) of the Constitution of the Peoples Democratic Party, 2017 as amended states as follows;
“The Working Committee at any level of the Party, and the Executive Committee (at the Ward Level) may, after preliminary hearings, suspend a member of the Party for a period not exceeding one month, during which period the member so suspended shall lose his right to contest any election, and shall be referred to the appropriate Disciplinary Committee”.
The party, further stated that, “Also note that by the provisions of Article 24(1)(a) & (3) of the Constitution of the Peoples Democratic Party, 2017 as amended, only the State Chairman of the Party can convene and preside over the State Executive Committee of the Party. It is shocking that officers of the Party at the State and LGA levels are so ignorant of the provisions of the Constitution of the Party.
First we wish to place it on record that the Constitution of the PDP, 2017 as amended made provision for procedures for discipline and removal of elected officers of the Party at any level. The Constitution does not empower few individuals to gather and write a document purporting to be a “Resolution” to pass a vote of no confidence or suspend an officer of the Party, talk more a State Chairman validly elected by a State Congress, which is the highest organ of the Party at the state level.
For the avoidance of doubt, Article 47(3) & (4) of the Constitution of the Peoples Democratic Party, 2017 as amended empowers only the State Congress to take a “Vote of Confidence” for the removal of a State Officer of the Party. On the procedure for the removal of any officer of the Party, Article 57(3) of the Constitution of the Peoples Democratic Party, 2017 as amended states as follows;
“The Working Committee at any level of the Party, and the Executive Committee (at the Ward Level) may, after preliminary hearings, suspend a member of the Party for a period not exceeding one month, during which period the member so suspended shall lose his right to contest any election, and shall be referred to the appropriate Disciplinary Committee”.
The party, further stated that, “Also note that by the provisions of Article 24(1)(a) & (3) of the Constitution of the Peoples Democratic Party, 2017 as amended, only the State Chairman of the Party can convene and preside over the State Executive Committee of the Party. It is shocking that officers of the Party at the State and LGA levels are so ignorant of the provisions of the Constitution of the Party.
In the poorly concocted resolution by this group, it is clear from the first glance that the purported resolution was neither a proceedings of the State Working Committee SWC of the Party nor the State Executive Committee SEC, which are the two bodies statutorily empowered to commence disciplinary procedure against an officer no less than the State Chairman of the Party.
Recall that these misguided individuals within the past seven days abused the constitution of the Party, when they usurped the duties, powers and functions of the State Executive Committee to illegally appoint unqualified persons to occupy vacant positions in the State Working Committee of the Party.
These series of acts of indiscipline have been spearheaded by one Mr. Njaka Duruiheoma who is not a member of the State Working Committee of the Party in the state. We wish to state without equivocation that Mr. Njaka Duruiheoma is not the State Secretary of the PDP, Imo State and any document signed by him, purporting to be acting as the State Secretary of PDP, Imo State shall remain invalid and anyone who does business with him as such does so at his own risk.
The Party frowns at the rascality and indiscipline by this group of persons, evidenced by the use of a document purportedly dated 24th October, 2023, to suspend the State Party Chairman on the 4th day of December, 2023. The state Party leadership shall not continue to fold its arms and watch, while these persons continue to violate the constitution of the Party, and continue to paint the Party in bad light.
We wish to place it on record that Engr. Charles Ugwu remains the State Chairman of the PDP, Imo State and enjoys the confidence of the majority of members of the SWC and SEC despite the activities of some misguided persons who are on a mission to destroy the Party in Imo State.
The Peoples Democratic Party is a Party that is guided by its constitution and rules. The Party would no longer tolerate acts of indiscipline and disrespect to constituted authority by Mr. Njaka Duruiheoma and others. The state Party leadership will convene a State Executive Committee meeting soon where these issues and other critical matters would be addressed in details.
We wish to reiterate that Engr. Charles Ugwu remains the State Chairman of the Party as the Party under his watch continues to stabilize the Party in pursuit of its programs and activities and would not be distracted by the activities of a few misguided persons.
We urge all patriotic members of the Party to remain steadfast and committed as the state leadership of the Party would address the acts of indiscipline by the affected officers at the appropriate time”.
