From Cyril Mbah, Abuja.
The Accord party has expelled it’s Presidential candidate in the 2023 general election and thirteen other members in a bold move meant to restore sanity to the party which was crippled by internal wrangling for a long time since after the polls .
The expelled candidate, Professor Christopher Imumolen and members of his rebellious faction were accused of hijacking the party and running a parallel executive in violation of the party’s constitution. Addressing newsmen after the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held at the party’s National Secretariat on Wednesday, Barrister Maxwell Mgbudem, the
National Chairman disclosed that, the affected members were expelled after extensive deliberations on crucial party issues including the report of the 7-man Disciplinary panel set up by the National Working Committee (NWC) to investigate alleged gross misconduct, anti-party activities and breaches of the party’s constitution against the erring members.
National Chairman disclosed that, the affected members were expelled after extensive deliberations on crucial party issues including the report of the 7-man Disciplinary panel set up by the National Working Committee (NWC) to investigate alleged gross misconduct, anti-party activities and breaches of the party’s constitution against the erring members.
He gave the names of the expelled members as Professor Christopher Imumolen, former presidential candidate; Comrade Lanre Ogundare, Lagos State Chairman; Surajo Ibrahim, Zamfara State chairman; Muktar Abdalla, Borno State chairman; Chief Abiola Samuel Odeoba, Ekiti State chairman; Dr. Falaye Ajibola, former Ondo State chairman; Prince Adebisi Wale Ganiy and Dzingina Jacob Ephraim, Nasarawa State chairman.
The party also suspended some members namely Salimu Lawal Boyi, Katsina State chairman; Fatima Mohammed Zarumi, Acting Yobe State chairman and Abdullahi Isa Kasowa, Bauchi State chairman.
The Accord national chairman said the NEC unanimously approved, upheld and endorsed the disciplinary measures against the members of the party for “gross misconduct, anti-party activities, factionalizing the party, bringing it to ridicule, disrepute, disaffection and breaches of its constitution.
“Accordingly, NEC expelled the eight members and suspended three others for violating Article 20A (vii), (ix), (xiii), and 20A (1) of the party constitution and has duly notified the Independent National Electoral Commission of the development.
“NEC emphasized the need to maintain decorum within the party to avoid a state of anarchy and lawlessness, highlighting the need to preserve the party’s constitution and its adherence which is not just expedient but mandatory as the party is supreme.
“The NEC also passed a vote of confidence in the leadership of Barrister Maxwell Mgbudem as the authentic National Chairman of Accord party and urged him to remain focused in rebuilding, rebranding and strengthening the party to meet the needs and expectations of citizens for a better Nigeria.
“INEC and stakeholders in the democratic process have been relating with Barrister Mgbudem as the duly elected national chairman of our great party. NEC commended his visionary, purposeful, resourceful, innovative, vibrant and progressive leadership that will take Accord to the next level.”
The chairman disclosed that NEC welcomed back “members who were misled by the expelled former presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, Professor Christopher Imumolen who instigated a rebellion against the leadership of the party with a view to destabilizing it and bringing it to ridicule, disrepute and disaffection amongst loyal party members in particular and Nigerians in general.
“NEC urged members to remain in one Accord as there is no faction in the party, noting that the court has since vacated the interim order Professor Imumolen surreptitiously obtained which naturally expired after seven days as ruled by the Presiding Judge, Justice M. M. Adamu of the FCT High Court on 4th September 2024, where he also ordered the intruders to vacate the party National Secretariat which they forcefully took over on Saturday, 31st August 2024.
“The expelled members vacated Accord National Secretariat immediately which brought their plot to destabilize the party to an end. Accord has commenced massive membership drive aimed at repositioning the party as a major stakeholder in the democratic process.
“We urge every member to be a good ambassador of our great party in the quest for sustainable democracy and development in the country. Members of Disciplinary Committee include Barrister (Chief) Emeka Uwakolam as Chairman, Bishop Benson Ijachi – Secretary, Gabriel Almond Kubua, Yusuf A. Training, Hassan Bello, Hon. Ndubuisi Paschal Ani and Adeniyi A. Philip,” the chairman concluded.
