The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has nullified the suspension of the Chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT), Senator Adolphus Wabara, declaring it unconstitutional and in violation of the party’s constitution.
In a statement on Tuesday, February 11, PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, condemned the suspension by the Abia State chapter of the party, calling it a “reckless and unconstitutional act.” Wabara had been suspended for endorsing Governor Alex Otti for a second term just five months into his administration in October 2023.
“The attention of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been drawn to the purported suspension of the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of our great Party, Distinguished Senator Adolphus Wabara from the Party,” Ologunagba stated.
“The NWC categorically dismisses the purported suspension as null and void and of no effect whatsoever, not being consistent with the provisions of the Constitution of the PDP (as amended in 2017) and laid down Rules of our great Party.
“For emphasis, no State Working Committee has the power to suspend or take any disciplinary action against a member of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the Party without due recourse to the NWC as clearly provided under Section 57 (7) of the Constitution of the PDP (as amended in 2017).
“Section 57 (7) is unambiguous in providing that; ‘Notwithstanding any other provision relating to discipline, no Executive Committee at any level, except the National Executive Committee, shall entertain any question of discipline as may relate or concern a member of the National Executive Committee, Deputy Governors or members of the National Assembly…’
“The explicit import of Section 57 (7) is that the Abia State Chapter has no powers whatsoever to take any disciplinary action against the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Senator Adolphus Wabara, being a member of the National Executive Committee of the Party.”
Ologunagba further stated that the PDP “condemns the purported suspension of Senator Wabara as reckless, unconstitutional, and cautions those behind this act in defiance of the PDP Constitution to retrace their steps, as the NWC will not hesitate to take appropriate disciplinary actions to preserve the stability of our Party and the sanctity of its Constitution.”
