Says action breaches PDP Constitution

Soni Daniel

Barely 24 hours after purportedly being suspended from the party, Senator Peter Nwaoboshi, has slammed those behind the action, describing his suspension as a nullity that cannot stand.

Nwaoboshi, a two-time Senator representing Delta North Senatorial District of Delta State, was suspended for one month for alleged anti-party activities and for verbally attacking Governor Ifaenyi Okowa.

But reacting to the action, Nwaoboshi dismissed his suspension by the Delta State NWC of the PDP as laughable, irrational, anti-democratic, and unconstitutional since his antagonists have no such power to do so.

Besides, the lawmaker said he was not given a fair hearing before being purportedly axed by the NWC in Delta State.

According to him, the purported suspension breached the very constitution of the PDP, which bars the executive committee at any level from suspending or taking any disciplinary action against any member of the National Executive Committee of the party.

Nwaoboshi, in a statement signed by his Media Aide, Philip Elueme, and made available to Vanguard in Abuja on Thursday, pointed out that by suspending him, the Delta State Working Committee has demonstrated complete undemocratic and unconstitutional behaviour, which has rendered their uncharitable action against him null and void and of no consequence whatsoever.

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The statement said: “The attention of Sen Peter Nwaoboshi, representing the good people of Delta North Senatorial District has been drawn to the satirical and laughable caricature of an action by the Delta State Working Committee of the PDP purportedly suspending him from the party, as signed by its publicity secretary on 23rd of June, 2021.

“Senator Nwaoboshi notes that this irrational, laughable, illegal, and unconstitutional action of this bunch of alarming and anti-democratic forces masquerading as the State Working Committee is against the principles of fair hearing – Audi Alteram Paten – as enshrined in the Nigerian constitution, a document that supersedes all other documents.

Senator Nwaoboshi wishes to draw the attention of Nigerians to Section 10 article 57 (7) of the PDP Constitution of 2017, which states categorically on page 99 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…

“By these provisions, the State Working Committee has demonstrated complete undemocratic and anti-constitutional behaviour, which has rendered their uncharitable pronouncement suspending Senator Nwaoboshi as null and void and of no consequence whatsoever.

“In the light of the above abysmal development, Senator Nwaoboshi wishes to use this medium to beseech his teeming supporters, loyalists and numerous party faithful in Delta State and beyond to remain calm in the face of this charade and unbecoming action by anti-democratic elements and forces of darkness masquerading as party officials who unfortunately being teleguided by an unnamed person in the state.

Vanguard News Nigeria