The All Progressives Congress (APC) has dismissed the purported expulsion of a former Secretary to the Enugu State Government, Chief Onyemuche Nnamani from the party by a faction of the party in the state, saying the group has no legal power to take such action without following due process.
A faction of the party in the state had announced the expulsion of Chief Nnamani for dragging the party to court over the outcome of the National Convention, but the National Organizing Secretary, Barrister Emma Ibediro said the party was yet to receive any official communication on the said expulsion.
Ibediro explained that before a party member is either suspended or expelled, the laid down procedures must be strictly adhered to, adding that anything contrary is null and void.
He said that the party’s Constitution stipulates that “You must set up a disciplinary committee to try such an individual and the report of such committee must go through the Ward, Local Government, State and finally the National. Such a person must be given fair hearing and as long as such a procedure is not complied with, any announcement of expulsion is a ruse and of no effect”.
He stated that a lot of issues had arisen from the National Convention of the party as those who were not comfortable with the outcome have decided to challenge the entire process, noting that his own emergence is equally being challenged in court.
“You don’t wake up and begin to expel people on account of the decision to vent their anger on the outcome of the convention. There must be issues, but we must come together and resolve our differences. Whatever happened during the convention is part of the process and must be allowed to rest.
“APC is a very big family and in any such family, you will definitely have issues, but I think we need to resolve these issues internally instead of expelling people.”
He said the party in Enugu state must tow the path of peace and reconciliation in resolving it’s differences instead of resorting to physical combat as that will not help the party view of the forthcoming general elections.
National Publicity Secretary of APC, Lanre Isa-Onilu denied knowledge of Nnamani’s expulsion of Onyemauche Nnamani.
Onilu who spoke on telephone said: “I am not aware of the development in the Enugu state chapter, but I can tell you that our party has a provision in its constitution that provides procedures for such disciplinary measures and unless it is adhered to, it will be of no effect”
Factional Chairman of the party in Enugu state, Okey Ogbodo also dismissed the expulsion, describing it as a “figment of Nwoye’s imagination.
“It is null, void and of no effect as those responsible have no locus standi to make such pronouncement as his tenure as chairman ended on May 19, this year.”
He stated that the expiration of the tenure of Nwoye led to the election of the state working committee headed by him (Ogbodo), adding however that Nwoye and few others were bent on pulling the party down.