Barely 24 hours to the National Assembly elections on Saturday, February 25, the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abia State has suspended its Abia North senatorial candidate in the elections, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, from the party.
Kalu is a former governor of the State and incumbent Senator representing Abia North in the Senate as well as a principal officer of the Senate.
APC, in a letter conveying Kanu’s suspension, said it was with immediate effect.
Kalu had been at loggerheads with the leadership and members of Abia APC over allegations that the former Abia governor had been undermining and sabotaging the party in the state.
The decision of the party was contained in a letter jointly signed by its Disciplinary Committee chairman, Barr. Paul Nwabuisi; state secretary of the party, Chief Chidi Avaja, and party chairman, Dr Kingsley Ononogbu.
According to the letter dated February 21, Kalu was suspended for “acts of disobedience and gross anti-party activities”.
The letter was signed by the Chairman of the Disciplinary Committee, Paul Nwabuisi; State Secretary, Chief Chidi Avajah, and the State Chairman, Dr. Kingsley Ononogbu.
It noted that Kalu, who had been at loggerheads with many APC chieftains in Abia, “has remained unrepentant and without remorse despite several warnings.”
APC explained that Kalu’s suspension came after “thorough investigations and recommendations of the Disciplinary Committee set up by the Igbere Ward A in Bende Local Government of Abia State.”
The Abia APC leadership further stated that Kalu’s suspension was in consonance with Article 21B(i-v) of the APC Constitution, which he violated.
The letter read in part: “You are hereby suspended from the All Progressives Congress (APC).”
The letter read in part; “The suspension is as a result of thorough investigations and recommendations of the disciplinary committee set up by Igbere Ward A, Bende LGA and the leadership of the party,”.
The letter, entitled ‘Notification on Suspension’ which was addressed to the Senator, said the action “is in consonance with Article 21b (i-v) of the Constitution of the party.
“Note that the party is highly committed to her integrity and as such will not condone any of these afore-stated acts and other forms of anti-party activities.”
The letter, which was copied to the national chairman of APC, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, added that “having evidence substantial enough for your suspension, the integrity of the party must be protected.”
The former governor has been accused of working against the APC governorship candidate, Chief Ikechi Emenike.
He has also been accused of promoting the interests of the Action Peoples Party(APP), where his younger brother, Mascot Uzor Kalu, is the governorship candidate.
Meanwhile, Kalu in an interview last Tuesday, publicly admitted and justified supporting and promoting the candidacy of his younger brother, Mascot, saying he is fit to lead the state.
Kalu also claimed that the APC governorship candidate never informed him formally that he was in the governorship race.
He also accused Emenike of abusing him and bearing grudges against him for decades, hence his reluctance to work for him.
Abia APC, which described the Senate Chief Whip as a drowning political desperado, accused him of working hard to destroy the party for his selfish interests.
