A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr Emeka Kalu, has condemned the purported expulsion of Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere from the party in Imo State, describing the move as a joke, which should be treated with a pinch of salt.
Kalu, who is also the National Coordinator of PDP Coalition in Nigeria, expressed dismay at the attempt by some people in PDP in Imo State to further put the name of the party in disrepute despite the attempt to rebuild it.
Kalu, in a statement he personally signed on Saturday and made available to journalists, also described the purported dismissal of Ugochinyere as a fraudulent act, which must not be allowed to stand.
Recall that PDP in Imo State in a letter signed by one Lancelot Obiak, its Publicity Secretary, had on Friday, purportedly expelled Ugochinyere, a House of Representatives member for Ideato North/Ideato South Federal Constituency of the State, from the party, by the Umuopia/Umukegwu Ward Chapter of the party in the state.
The party in Imo State had claimed that Ugochinyere was expelled from PDP due to gross indiscipline, insubordination, and anti-party activities.
Kalu insisted that Ugochinyere had remained the most committed federal legislator elected under PDP in fighting the gross injustice, sabotage and political prebendalism hampering the unity of the party.
Rather than sack, he insisted that Ugochinyere should be commended for standing by the party at all times.
He insisted that the purported sack, amounted to bias and political immaturity that guided some sections of the party in the state.
He said: “At a time the party is gradually working towards rebuilding her broken walls, some persons who failed to see the realities of power tussles in political leadership took to fraudulently abuse processes by raising their ill-fated pen to publish Ugochinyere’s expulsion from the party he has continued to give his best for.
“A party that has been captured by the enemies within with all readiness to destroy it should concentrate on fighting to retrieve its glory from the hands of traducers than resorting to fight a man who has never relented in working to ensure the party is robustly strengthened.
“It is a show of shame that while the party at the national level is battling conflict of interest and sabotage within the party structure and those who are bent on ensuring these wrongs are corrected, became the victims of circumstance orchestrated by his haters who think their interest are no longer protected.”
The PDP National Coordinator, therefore, called on the national leadership of the party to as a matter of urgency, intervene by reversing the decision of the state, maintaining that a stakeholder like Ugochinyere deserved more recognition and honours for his unwavering commitment to ensure the party was vehemently united.
He declared that the central organ of the party must not treat the issue with levity if PDP was to stand the test of time.
Besides, Kalu totally condemned the issuance of the expulsion letter, warning that such action may lead to eventual collapse of PDP.