PDP Crisis: Why BoT Chairman, Adolphus Wabara Was Suspended

The chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Board of Trustees (BoT), Adolphus Wabara, has been suspended by the Abia State chapter of the party and barred from holding any party office.

The decision was reached after a State Executive Council (SEC) meeting presided over by the chairman, Amah Abraham.

The Abia State PDP accused Wabara of anti-party activities and failure to apologize despite being given the opportunity to do so.

It noted that Wabara’s activities are unbecoming of a former senate president and chairman of the party’s BoT.

The motion for Wabara’s suspension was moved by the Treasurer of the party in the state, Chief Chizuru Kanu, and seconded by the Organizing Secretary, Prince Obinna Okey.

Specifically, the Abia SEC objected to the declaration by Wabara in which he endorsed the state governor, Alex Otti of the Labour Party (LP), for a second term. They submitted that the action has brought disrepute to the PDP.

The State chairman of the Abia PDP, said that in line with disciplinary procedures of the party, a seven-man disciplinary committee would be set up to investigate Wabara’s alleged anti-party activities.

He added that in line with the provisions of Articles 59(1) (e) & (f) of the party’s Constitution (2017 as amended), Wabara is also removed from office as chairman of the party’s BoT.

The party said: “As officials of People’s Democratic Party (Abia State Chapter) and members of the State Executive Committee (SEC) of the Party, who jointly and severally swore to protect and defend the Party’s Constitution (2017 as amended), we invite the attention of PDP members, stakeholders to the anti-party activities of the BoT Chairman of PDP, Senator Adolphus Wabara, to the resolution of the State Working Committee/State Executive Committee, to invoke the relevant provisions of the PDP Constitution (2017 as amended) for the purposes of suspending from the party, Senator Adolphus Wabara, in line with the disciplinary procedures and guidelines and hereby unanimously resolved to State as follows:

“Our attention was drawn to a statement credited to Senator Adolphus Wabara, the BoT Chairman of PDP, in October 2023, and circulated on social media and national dailies, wherein the said Senator threw caution to the wind and in a brazen display of sabotage to the party, unilaterally endorsed the Labour Party governor of Abia State, Alex Otti, for a second term in office, barely five months after inauguration, and thereby brought the party to disrepute, hatred and/contempt, which 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;

“Article 58(1) and Article 59(1) of the PDP Constitution (2017 as amended) empowers the State Executive Committee, SEC, to discipline any member of the Party, who commits any offence(s) provided by the Party’s constitution, irrespective of the members status;“Article 24(1)(v) of the same Constitution confers membership of the State Executive Committee (SEC) on the said BoT Chairman, as a former principal officer of the National Assembly, the said Senator being a former Senate President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which he became under the platform of the Party;

“The unappealed Federal High Court judgement sitting in Ebonyi State, in Suit No. FHC/A1/CS/182/2024 Hon. OVUTA HERBERT ONYEDIKACHI & 2 ORS AND Chief ALI ODEFA & 2 ORS delivered on 29/11/2024, had declared unconstitutional and a breach of the principles of natural justice, equity and good conscience, the purported provision of Articles 57(7) and 59(3) of the PDP Constitution (2017 as amended, which hitherto purportedly clothed the Senator with some molecule of immunity, from being sanctioned on disciplinary grounds by the State Executive Committee;

“The said Senator Adolphus Wabara has refused, failed and neglected to refute the said statement credited to him and circulated on social media and National dailies, since October 2023, despite repeated outcries, demands and notices to show cause why disciplinary sanctions should not be meted on him;

“The actions and inactions of Senator Adolphus Wabara have undermined the credibility of the PDP, demoralised party members /stakeholders and emboldened the opposition and gravely constitute gross anti party activity and conduct;

“The need to ensure discipline amongst party members across board, irrespective of status cannot be over emphasized;

“Consequent upon the far-reaching implications of Senator Adolphus Wabara’s acts of sabotage against the party, the SEC hereby invokes the provisions of Articles 57(1),(2),(3), 58(1)(b) & (f) and 59(1) of the party’s Constitution (2017 as amended) against Senator Adolphus Wabara and hereby places him on 1 suspension from party activities.

‘Furthermore, in compliance with the provisions of Articles 59(1) (e) & (f) of the party’s Constitution (2017 as amended) Senator Adolphus Wabara is barred from holding any party office and therefore equally removed from office as BOT Chairman of PDP.”