The national working committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic
Party (PDP) has suspended Ndudi Elumelu and six other members of
the house of representatives.
The other lawmakers are Wole Oke; Lynda Ikpeazu; Anayo Edwin;
Gideon Gwadi; Toby Okechukwu and Adekoya Abdul-Majid.
Their suspension was made known in a statement by Kola
Ologbondiyan, spokesman of the party.
The NWC had summoned the lawmakers on Thursday over the role
they were alleged to have played in the minority leadership tussle
of the lower legislative chamber of the national assembly.
According to the statement, the lawmakers’ action was an act of
insubordination. They were ordered to proceed on a month
suspension.
“The Party noted the roles played by the underlisted members
which resulted in the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon.
Femi Gbajabiamila, reading another list for Minority Leadership of
the House other than the list submitted to him by our party, the
PDP,” the statement read.
“After preliminary examination by the NWC, it was evident that
the roles played by the above-mentioned members, bordered on
indiscipline, insubordination and disobedience of party directives
contrary to Section 58 (1)(b)(c)(f)(h) of the PDP Constitution (as
amended in 2017), which provides that:
“Subject to the provision of this Constitution, the Party shall
have power to discipline any member who says or does anything
likely to bring the party into disrepute, hatred or contempt;
disobeys or neglects to carry out lawful directives of the party or
any organ or officer of the party; engages in anti-party
activities; or engages in any conduct likely to cause disaffection
among members of the party or is likely to disrupt the peaceful,
lawful and efficient conduct of the business of the party.
“Consequent upon this, the above-mentioned members of our party
are hereby suspended for one month and this matter is hereby
referred to the National Disciplinary Committee of our party, in
keeping with Section 57(3) of the PDP Constitution.”
During Wednesday’s session, some lawmakers had exchanged blows
over principal positions. The session got rowdy when Femi
Gbajabiamila, the speaker, was about to announce minority principal
officials.
Kingsley Chinda, a PDP lawmaker from Rivers, had said the
leadership of his party had written to the speaker to inform him of
its choice for the positions, asking Gbajabiamila to adopt the list
sent by the PDP.
The opposition party had stated its preference for Chinda as
minority leader, Chukwuka Onyema as deputy minority leader; Yakubu
Barde, minority whip; and Muraina Ajibola, deputy minority whip.
But Gbajabiamila said there were nine minority political parties
and the PDP alone could not determine who led the minority.
He had moved to read a letter which he said was signed by 99
members of minority political parties on the leadership positions
but some lawmakers left their seats and started struggling for the
mace which led to a brawl.
The speaker eventually announced Elumelu as minority leader,
Toby Okechukwu, deputy minority leader; Gideon Gwani, minority
whip; and Adesegun Adekoya, deputy minority whip.
Mr Elumelu in a statement on Friday said, “I am surprised and
shocked, that the National Working Committee of our great party,
the People’s Democratic Party, (PDP) can sit and take a decision
without giving room for a fair hearing”.
However, Elumelu narrated that he had lost an aunt and left
Abuja immediately after plenary in the House of Representatives on
Thursday and travelled to Delta state.
Elumelu said, “Out of respect for the party, I interacted my
Special Assistant to write to the party and request a new date. I
would have expected that if the date, we suggested was not
convenient for the party, they would have proposed another day when
we could have appeared before them”.
The lawmaker surmised that he has great respect for the party
and is ready to serve.