By; PAMELA EBOH, Awka
A faction loyal to the self acclaimed godfather of Anambra politics, Chris Uba has suspended the acting Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Anambra State chapter, Okey Asolo.
Asolo who is of the Ndubisi Nwobu-led faction had on April 2, 2022 suspended the duo of Chief Chris Uba and Chief Linus Ukachukwu from the PDP citing anti+party activities.
A communiqué issued on Monday after a meeting in Awka, said that the acting chairman, Asolo had no grounds to be the PDP state chairman.
The communique signed by the chairman and secretary respectively, Mr. Alex Anah and Mr. Chigbo Onyia, said, “Comrade Okey Asolo has been suspended from his Ward (13), PDP, Onitsha North Local Government Area of Anambra for violation of party constitution.
“The suspension of Comrade Okey Asolo was anchored on the provisions of Article 58 (1) and 59 (1) and (2) of the PDP Constitution 2017 as amended.
PDP also said that the suspension was upheld by the Onitsha North LGA chapter of the party which met on Monday.
“We received notice of suspension of Comrade Okey Asolo from his Ward (13) PDP, Onitsha North Local Government Area, of Anambra State dated 3rd April, 2022.
“Consequently, Onitsha North Local Government Executive of the PDP held a meeting today 4th April, 2022 and deeply considered the notice. We came to the conclusion that Comrade Okey Asolo actually violated the provisions of the PDP Constitution 2017 as amended, by his actions and we upheld the said suspension and was equally suspended in the Onitsha North Local Government Area PDP of Anambra State.”
Meanwhile, a group known as Forum of Elected Local Government Chairmen in Anambra State has dissociated itself from the suspension of Uba and Ukachukwu.
The group had written to the national leadership of the party according to a communiqué signed by 14 members elected local government chairman.
They accused Asolo and his group of wanting to destabilise the party in the state, saying,“We dissociate ourselves from this figment of imagination of Okey Asolo and cohorts purporting to have suspended Chief Chris Uba and Chief Linus Ukachukwu from the PDP.
“By their action, there is no gain saying the fact that their sole aim is to destabilize the People’s Democratic Party.
“Therefore, we urge you members of the National Executive Committee of our party to disregard the purported suspension of the two high profile leaders of our great party,” it stated.
The group insisted that Asolo’ was suspended by the PDP ward leadership in Ward 13 Onitsha North Local Government Area of the state.
While accusing him of violation of the party constitution and anti party activities, they recalled that Asolo took over from Chief Ndubuisi Nwobu as acting Chairman on 2nd April 2022 and suspended Chief Chris Uba, a member of PDP Board of Trustees and Chief Linus Ukachukwu, a chieftain of the party.