By Emmanuel Oloniruha
The National Executive Council (NEC) of the National Rescue Movement (NRM) on Monday, suspended the National Chairman, Isaac Ude and two others over alleged breaches and violation of the party constitution and financial impropriety.
The two other suspended national officers are the Deputy National Chairmen, Lawson Ihigwe (South) and Salisu Dawaki (North).
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the party three national leaders were suspended and referred to NRM investigation panel following a report of the party National Management Committee (NMC) presented at the NEC meeting in Abuja.
The NMC report was signed by eight members and read by the NRM acting national Secretary, Obidike Okolo.
Reading the report, Okolo accused Udeh of unilaterally endorsing the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its President Candidate, Atiku Abubakar for the 2023 presidential election.
He said that the suspended national chairman was also accused of sabotaging the party by going behind to demand for money from political parties NRM was discussing issue of alliance with.
Okolo also alleged that Udeh refused to call for NWC meeting as stipulated in the party’s Constitution, even after several demands by members.
He said that all efforts by the NMC to get Udeh to make clarification on the allegations proved abortive as he refused to appear before the committee on invitations sent to him.
He said that based on the forgoing the NMC recommended that Udeh should be immediately be suspended and referred to the panel of inquiry already set up by the NMC to investigate the allegations.
“The National Chairman cannot preside over the affairs of the party while he is being investigated so that he will not interfere with the investigations while he will be afforded a fair hearing by the panel.
“Furthermore, NMC has reasons to believe that the two deputy national chairmen (North & South) are complicit in the above-mentioned constitutional violations either by omission, commission, or negligence.
“Accordingly, NMC recommends that the two national deputy chairmen be suspended and referred to the investigative panel for investigation,’’ he said.
NAN report that the recommendation was unanimously accepted through a voice vote and Udeh was suspended, while the National Welfare Secretary, Prince Chinedu Obi, was immediacy elected as the party acting national chairman.
In his remarks, as the acting national chairman of NRM, Obi thanked the party for the confidence reposed in him, promising that it would not be regretted.
“I want to assure you that the NRM has set a standard for political polity administration in Nigeria.
“This is the only party, that of course, if you look at the report that was presented to us by NMC, you will know that NRM has not departed from the vision of its founding fathers,’’ Obi said.
In a sweift reaction, Udeh denied all allegations against him, describing them calculated attempt by members of the NMC to bring up non-exiting allegations to remove him as national chairman of the party.
Udeh who threatened to take legal action against the party for deformation of character, added that his purported suspension was illegal and cannot stand.
On the endorsement of PDP and his presidential candidate for 2023 presidential election by NRM, Udeh said that it was the decision of the NMC to look for three parties and their candidates, from which one would be endorsed.
He said that the NMC set up a committee to consult the All Progressives Congress (APC) and PDP and Labour Party (LP) for possible endorsement of any of them.
Udeh said that he was mandated to discuss with the PDP, the NRM National organizing Secretary, Mohammed Dirisu was commissioned to discuss with the APC, while the National Welfare Officer, Chinedu Obi was to handle discussion with LP.
Udeh said although he and other NRM were at the meeting where Atiku Abubakar of PDP was endorsed, he did not make any commitment, nor was any money paid to him.
“On the issue of money, honestly, I have not and did not hear about anything money. Nobody give NRM or myself a dime by PDP. Not even one kobo till date.
“When they brought the issue of allegation, I asked them if they could give me any evidence that I collected money.
“The issue of $25,000, there is nothing like that. It is just a mere allegation. You cannot suspend the national chairman by mere allegation.
“As I am talking to you I still remain the national chairman of NRM, ’he said.
Udeh also denied allegation of him refusing to appear before the party investigation panel, saying he was not invited.
Before his suspension, Udeh in his opening remarks, urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to involve all the political parties in his political appointments for government of national unity, for absolute stability in the country.(NAN)
