The National Working Council (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has declared that the purported expulsion of the party’s governorship candidate in Imo state, Senator Hope Uzodinma, is invalid.
In a statement by its national publicity secretary, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, the APC said the Imo State Working Committee led by Mr Daniel Nwafor was dissolved after members lost confidence in its abilities to lead the party to victory, hence rendering Uzodinma’s expulsion null and void.
The Nwafor-led faction of the Imo APC had earlier on Thursday expelled the party’s governorship candidate, Senator Hope Uzodinma.
Nwafor told reporters at the party’s secretariat in Owerri, the state capital, that Senator Uzodinma was expelled on the basis of alleged inordinate and anti-party activities.
He explained that the purported expulsion of the APC governorship candidate was sequel to the recommendation of a disciplinary committee set up to investigate his alleged anti-party activities.
Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, however, noted in his communique that the Nwafor-led faction of the APC in Imo state have been dissolved and a caretaker committee in Imo State led by Chief Marcelinus Nlemigbo has been set up to see to the affairs of the party in the state.
He maintained that Senator Hope Uzodinma remains the candidate of the APC in the state and all directives which do not come directly from the Nlemigbo-led committee must be disregarded.
READ ALSO: Imo APC Faction: Hope Uzodinma Reacts To Expulsion From Party
Below is the full statement from the National Working Committee of the All Progressives Congress.
“The attention of the National Working Committee (NWC) of our great party APC, has been drawn to the purported expulsion of our governorship candidate in Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodinma, through a statement signed by the former chairman of the party in Imo State, Mr Dan Nwafor.
“We want to state categorically that the former Imo State Working Committee of the APC led by Mr Nwafor was dissolved after majority of members of our party in Imo State lost confidence in their ability to lead the party to victory in the forthcoming general elections, especially due to their involvement in several anti party activities.
“Consequently, the NWC had since set up a Caretaker Committee in Imo State led by Chief Marcelinus Nlemigbo to pilot the affairs of the party in Imo State.
“Therefore, Mr. Nlemigbo remains the only recognised Imo State Chairman and any decision which do not emanate from this recognised Caretaker Committee as regards the affairs of the APC in Imo State is null and void.
“We call on our teeming supporters in Imo State to remain steadfast and disregard such reports as it does not have the blessings of the NWC.
“The NWC is paying keen attention to events as they unfold in Imo State and the party would always take appropriate measures to protect the interests of the party.
“Let it be stated clearly that APC would not tolerate indiscipline from any member of the party under any guise.
Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu
National Publicity Secretary
All Progressives Congress (APC)”
