Senator for Enugu East, Senator Chimaroke Nnamani has rejected his expulsion by the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
In a statement on Friday, the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Hon. Debo Ologunagba said that Nnamani was expelled alongside six other party chieftains.
He said that the decision to expel the party chieftains was taken at PDP NWC’s 566th meeting on Friday.
According to him, the party chieftains were expelled “for anti-Party activities and other grave offences in violation of the Constitution of the PDP (as amended in 2017)”.
Reacting, Nnamani stated that the Senator Iyorchia Ayu-led NWC did not follow due process and strict compliance with the provisions of the PDP Constitution and therefore lacked the powers to suspend or expel him as a member of the National Assembly.
In a letter to the PDP NWC through his Counsel Olusegun O. Jolaawo (SAN), Nnamani stated that the NWC has no powers to suspend or expel him except the National Executive Committee (NEC).
Nnamani quoted relevant sections of the PDP constitution violated, including Article 57(7) which states, “Notwithstanding any other provision relating to discipline, no Executive Committee at any level, except the National Executive Committee, shall entertain any question of discipline as may or concern a member of the National Executive Committee, Deputy Governors or members of the National Assembly, Provided that nothing in this Constitution shall preclude or invalidate any complaint submitted through the National Working Committee to the National Executive Committee concerning any person whatsoever.”
He also cited Article 59(3) which states, “Notwithstanding any other provision of this Constitution relating to discipline, no Executive Committee at any level except the National Executive Committee shall entertain any question of discipline as may relate or concern a member of the National Executive Committee, President, Vice President, Governors, Deputy Governors, Ministers, Ambassadors, Special Advisers or member of any of the legislative houses.”
“On 20 January 2023, the NWC conducted a preliminary disciplinary hearing against our client and approved his suspension from the party for one month, purportedly acting pursuant to Article 57(3) of the Constitution of the PDP.
“It is evident on the basis of Articles 57(7) and 59(3) of the Constitution of your party excerpted above, that no organ of the party, including the National Working Committee, has the competence to entertain any question of discipline against our client, except the National Executive Committee of the party.”