.Demands Replacements of Vacant Positions Through Party Constitution Process
.Warns Against Acts Of Insubordination
The National Working Committee, NWC of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, at its 579th meeting held on December 6, 2023 deliberated on the latest crisis in PDP, Imo State Chapter, and rose in unison with the decision that it was time the party in the State was called to order.
In a letter addressed to the Imo PDP State Working Committee, SWC, addressed through Engr Charles Ugwu OON, the State Chairman, the National Working Committee through the National Organizing Secretary, Hon Umar Bature said that it “considered the current situation in your State, Imo State and resolved, on behalf of the National Executive Committee NEC pursuant to sections 29(2)(b) and 31(2)(c) of the Party’s constitution, that all unauthorized suspensions, replacements, inaugurations, swearing-in of Party Excos at all levels (ie Ward, LGA and State) are hereby set aside, nullified and reversed with immediate effect”.
The Party went further to state that “the occupant of the office of a State Chairman is a member of the National Executive Committee (NEC) the highest operational body of our Great Party and therefore only NEC can entertain any matter of discipline against its members.
Please see section 57(7) of the Party’s Constitution”
The PDP National Office also maintained that “all the vacant positions as communicated to the NWC by the State Chairman, Chief Engr Charles Ugwu on the 19th June 2023 following the resignation of the holders of these offices are hereby noted and approved”
The party further charged that “it is not only necessary but expedient and imperative to state on behalf of NWC and NEC of our Party that the authentic and recognized State Chairman of Imo State is and remains Chief Engr Charles Ugwu who was elected during the State Congress held on August 1, 2020: kindly accord him all the necessary support and corporation to perform his constitutional duties”.
The Heavy order from Abuja to Imo PDP chapter was as a result of the internal crisis which has dogged the Party since after the Governorship election which PDP lost woefully.
Rather than the Party put her house in order, the Orlu Zonal Secretary of the Party, Hon Njaka Duruiheoma issued letters to some Party members to assume offices as replacements for the State Working Committee members who joined APC.
This was done without reference to the State Chairman, Chief Charles Ugwu.
Ugwu in reaction authenticated the appointment of Acting State Secretary, Hon Solomon Onwuegbuchulam.
Days after, a Group within the Party made publications where it claimed that Ugwu has been sacked.
This latest affront attracted the attention of the National Working Committee, NWC who has now sent what could be described as a stern warning to Imo PDP chapter and its members, warning that the Party believes in her constitution and due process, pointing that whoever disrespects the Party’s organogram and ways of doing things would be sanctioned.
Political observers are saying that although the National Office of PDP has now stepped into the Imo PDP imbroglio, they stressed that they had expected the intervention earlier than now.
“The National has been treating these renegades with kid cloves, and that was why the problem got to his level. However, it is better late than never, as the National has now shown that no person is bigger than PDP” a former National Officer of the Party from Imo State, Chief Henry Ekpe told Newsmen.
