In a dramatic twist, the suspended Board of Trustees (BoT) chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Sen Adolphus Wabara, has dismissed his suspension, insisting that neither the Abia PDP nor anyone else has the authority to bar him from party activities.
Speaking with Journalists at the 80th Birthday celebration of the former Secretary to the Abia State Government, Chief Emelike Okoro, in Umuahia, the embattled party leader while reacting to his recent suspension, stated that his position within the PDP remains intact and that the decision to suspend him lacks legitimacy. According to him, the Abia PDP lacks the powers to suspend him from party activities, describing those who spearheaded the suspension as miscreants.
Recall that the leaders of the People’s Democratic Party in Abia, recently, suspended the BoT chairman, over anti party activities.
The Party Chairman,Elder Abraham Amah,while citing a Memo from the State Treasurer of the PDP, calling for the suspension of the BoT chairman, Amah disclosed that precisely in October 2023, Sen Adolphus Wabara endorsed the Governor of Abia State, Dr Alex Otti for a second tenure, an action the party chairman described as disrepute, hatred and contempt, which he said is in violation to the provisions of Chapter 10, Article 58(c) and (f) of the Constitution of Party (2017 as amended) and therefore, liable to punishment under Article 59(1) of the Party’s Constitution.
Sen Adolphus Wabara
The Chairman said due to the immunity that covered the BOT chairman from being sanctioned on disciplinary grounds by the State Executive Committee, the Party made repeated outcries, demands and notices to show why disciplinary sanctions should not be meted on him, but stated that the BoT chairman refused, failed and neglected to refute the said statement credited to him and circulated on Social media and National Dailies, since October 2023, even when his actions and inactions undermined the credibility of the PDP, demoralized party members and Stakeholders, emboldened the opposition and as well, gravely constituted gross anti party activity.
Again, the BoT chairman while giving his speech earlier at the birthday celebration, said, “Politics ends after campaigns, after elections and then you start thinking of governance. Even a blind man can see what is happening in Abia! And, I am saying it again! Maybe now since they said I was suspended, they can now expel me.
“But, having said so, Sir, continue with the works, our ancestors in Abia are with you.I will be one of those who will continue to appreciate you. I have not mentioned Labour Party; I have always mentioned Governor Alex Otti. We are all with you,” Wabara disclosed.
The development has however, sparked mixed reactions among party members and political observers, with some questioning the legality of the suspension and others calling for party unity.
Reacting on the issue in an interview, the former Senator representing Abia North Senatorial District, Sen Mao Ohuabunwa, said the BoT chairman used the birthday celebration of Chief Emelike Okoro to speak for himself, stating that he(Mao) is not a member of the State Working Committee(SWC) or the State Executive Committee(SEC) of the PDP and therefore, cannot ascertain whether the action was right or wrong.
In his words,” Am not part of it, am not a member of the SEC or SWC, so I cannot say whether the suspension of the BoT chairman was right or wrong”.
Meanwhile, Dr Eme Okoro, who described himself as an Elder in the State and the PDP, said the Elders Council was not duly consulted before the suspension was made. He frowned at the action of the party chairman, stating that his emergence as the party chairman was questionable,adding that in the coming days, he would make a Press Statement on that regard.
Similarly in a Press Statement, the PDP State Publicity Secretary, Eric Ikwuagwu, reiterated that the PDP is unperturbed about whoever the Suspended BOT Chairman Supports.
According to the Statement, the Party made it clear that Senator Wabara’s suspension remained in full effect and has consequently forfeited all privileges associated with his position as a party leader. “His actions and statements have demonstrated that he has never been a supporter of the PDP in Abia State, ever since he was removed from the Abia State University Board. Therefore, he cannot in good conscience claim to represent the party or hold the position of BOT Chairman”,It read.
