Hours after the court halted the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s scheduled national convention, the opposition party suspended four members of its National Working Committee (NWC) for allegedly engaging in anti-party activities and violating the party’s constitution.
Those affected include the National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu; National Organising Secretary, Umar Bature; National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade; and the Deputy National Legal Adviser, Okechukwu Osuoha.
Their suspension was approved by the NWC during a meeting held on Saturday at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja, as part of measures to end the crisis rocking the party.
The National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, who announced the suspension, said the action followed findings that the officials had engaged in conduct “inconsistent with the provisions of the PDP Constitution and detrimental to the interest of the party.”
According to him, “The officers were suspended for a period of one month and referred to the National Disciplinary Committee for further action. During the period of the suspension, the affected officers cease to function in their respective capacities.
“In the case of the National Secretary, Pursuant to Section 36(2) of the PDP Constitution, the Deputy National Secretary, Setonji Koshoedo, shall act as the National Secretary.
“For the National Legal Adviser and the Deputy National Legal Adviser, the National Director of Legal Services was directed to oversee the activities of the Department”.
The move comes barely 24 hours after a Federal High Court in Abuja halted the party’s planned National Elective Convention scheduled for November 15, pending the determination of a suit challenging its conduct.
