Former Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on National Assembly matters, Ita Enang, has been expelled from the All Progressives Congress (APC) over the former lawmaker’s engagement in anti-party activities within Akwa Ibom State.
The President’s former aide was alleged to have been meeting with the opposition party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Akwa Ibom State, ahead of the general election.
Also, the former lawmaker was alleged to have turned down instructions from the party leadership, mandating him to withdraw the case against Akanimo Udofia, the APC gubernatorial flagbearer for the state.
Enang’s expulsion was contained in a letter written on Tuesday to the Ward Chairman, Eastern Ward 2, Ibiono Ibom Local Government by the State Chairman, APC for the state, Stephen Ntukekpo, stating outcomes of the State Working Committee (SWC) of the party.
Ntukekpo noted that the SWC evaluated the allegations brought against the former presidential aide by youths wing of the party, detailing why he should be expelled.
The chairman stressed that the SWC, after several deliberations and examination of facts before the leadership, it decided to expel Enang indefinitely.
It would be recalled that the youths also recommended a retired Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police, Udom Ekpoudum, and others over alleged anti-party activities.
The youths under the auspices of the Progressive Young People Movement, flayed their roles in allegedly stalling the candidatures of Akan Udofia and Godswill Akpabio through legal actions.
According to the letter, “After a free and fair gubernatorial primary election conducted by the party which he lost without showing a good spirit of sportsmanship, Senator Ita Solomon Enang, had engaged in endless litigation against the candidate who won and the party.
The suspension came barely five days after losing his battle for the APC governorship ticket to Udofia as the flagbearer of the party.
The Court of Appeal in Abuja held that the governorship primary that produced Udofia was conducted in accordance with the law setting up the APC.
Before the ruling, the court sets aside judgement delivered by the Federal High Court in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital, which was in favour of the president’s former aide.
The judge, Agatha Okeke had on November 14 last year ordered the APC to conduct a fresh governorship primary within two weeks and barred Udofia from participating in the new primary.
However, the Court of Appeal in its decision delivered by Justice Mohammed Idris held that the Federal High Court acted without jurisdiction when it nullified the APC primary election.
The appellate court in a unanimous decision held that the primary election is an internal affair of the APC and ought not to have been adjudicated upon by the High Court.
Consequently, the appeal filed by APC was allowed for being meritorious while the arguments of Enang were dismissed for being unmeritorious.
Other justices on the Appeal Court panel were Elfreda Williams – Dawodu who presided and Danlami Senchi.
Comments are closed, but trackbacks and pingbacks are open.