Chimaroke Nnamani, a former governor of Enugu State, has described his expulsion from the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) as null, insisting that he still remains a bonafide member of the party.
The PDP’s National Working Committee (NWC) expelled him and a few others on Friday for anti-party activities.
Hours after the move, the senator representing Enugu East Senatorial Constituency released a press statement in which he insisted that his expulsion did not follow due process and was, therefore, null. He insisted that aside from not following “due process and strict compliance with the provisions of the PDP Constitution,” the NWC “lacked the powers to suspend or expel him as a member of the National Assembly.”
Quoting Articles 57(7) and 59(3), Senator Nnamani through his Counsel Olusegun O. Jolaawo SAN stated that the NWC has no powers to suspend or expel him except the National Executive Committee (NEC).
“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,” Senator Nnamani said.
“Quite apart from the obvious and undeniable fact that the purported proceeding of the National Working Committee of your party held on 20 January 2023 and the decision reached there at, suspending our client from the party is null and void, as our client was neither invited to the meeting nor given the opportunity to be heard before the decision against him was taken; See Article 57(6) of the Constitution of your party, the National Working Committee lacks the requisite powers to entertain any question of discipline against our client to the extent of suspending or expelling him from the party.
“The proceeding and decision reached at the meeting of the National Working Committee of your party, which was held on 20 January 2023, is therefore both illegal and a nullity.
“It, therefore, gives us great concern, that your proposed disciplinary hearing of 8 February 2023 as stated in your letter of 1st February 2023, is built and erected on the illegal and invalid meeting and decision taken by the National Working Committee of your Party at its meeting of 20 January 2023, suspending our client from the Party. Your letter to our client dated 1st February 2023 made it abundantly clear that the complaint against our client was made to your committee by the National Working Committee,” the statement read.
