The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Wednesday rejected claims regarding the removal of Chief Ali Odefa from his position as National Vice Chairman, South East.
In a statement issued by the Party’s National Publicity Secretary, Hon. Debo Ologunagba, the PDP emphasized that no State Working Committee has the authority to expel, suspend, or impose any disciplinary actions against a National Vice Chairman, who is a member of the National Executive Committee (NEC), without the approval of the National Working Committee (NWC) as stipulated in the PDP’s Constitution.
The statement further clarified: “The NWC has been made aware of the purported removal of Chief Ali Odefa from his position as National Vice Chairman, South East. We categorically affirm that this claimed removal and the supposed appointment of a replacement are in direct violation of the PDP Constitution (as amended in 2017) and the established rules of our Party.
To avoid any confusion, no State Working Committee has the authority to expel, suspend, or discipline a National Vice Chairman, who is a member of the National Executive Committee, without following due process through the NWC, as outlined in the PDP Constitution.
Section 57(7) of the PDP Constitution explicitly states: ‘Notwithstanding any other provision related to discipline, no Executive Committee at any level, except the National Executive Committee, shall address any disciplinary matters concerning a member of the National Executive Committee, Deputy Governors, or members of the National Assembly.’
The NWC reaffirms that Chief Ali Odefa remains the National Vice Chairman (South East) of the PDP and urges all leaders, stakeholders, members, and supporters of the Party in the South East and across the nation to disregard any claims of his replacement.
It should be noted that Goodluck Chidiebere Egwu was previously proposed as a replacement for Mr. Ali Odefa before the NWC intervened.”
