By Daniel Kanu (Assistant Politics Editor)
The National Working Committee (NWC) of the newly registered political party, Advanced Peoples Democratic Alliance (APDA), on Tuesday suspended three of its founding members, Chief Raymond Dokpesi, Dan Nwanyanwu, and Mainasara Ilo, for alleged anti-party activities.
A statement signed by the National Secretary, Dr. Emeka Okengwu, said the chieftains were suspended for “unlawful gathering in the name of the party and violating the constitutional provision of the party.”
The statement also claimed that the trio were involved in anti-party activities “for holding illegal National Executive Council meeting and sacking the National Working Committee of the party.”
Okengwu further alleged that “Raymond Dokpesi on the 15th of July wrote a letter to Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) informing them of a proposed NEC meeting and this letter was signed by him as BOT chairman but INEC responded by telling him to route his letter through the National Chairman of the party because the constitution of the party does not have a BOT until after 5 years.
“In their desperation to factionalize the party and move to PDP, they went ahead to make this announcement constituting an illegal Board of Trustees and sacking the National Working Committee.
“Due to this indiscipline of these members, the NWC met at an emergency meeting today and suspended them and constituted a disciplinary committee to sanction them for bringing disrepute to the party.
We want to appeal to the general public to disregard their announcement because they are agents of PDP trying to destroy the emerging alternative party that will give Nigerians a better life.”