By Celestine Okafor (Editor-in-Chief ) @CelestineOkaf11
As the roiling internal skirmishes in the party heightens, the leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), on Saturday, expelled it's 2023 Presidential candidate, Dumebi Kachikwu and seven other members of the party
The expulsion was the high point of the crisis in the party over allegation of anti-party engagements by Kachikwu and others. Besides, the sack of the party members by the National Working Committee (NWC) of the ADC was coming just five months to the February 25, 2023 Presidential election and also barely two weeks to the official commencement of campaigns for the general elections.
Before now, the ADC leadership had suspended it's former Presidential candidate and seven others since September 3, 2022. Their suspension was however recommended by a seven-man disciplinary panel set up to examine the allegations against them which bothers on anti-party conduct, gross misdemeanor and flagrant violations of the party's guiding rules for members.
Following a review of the report of the panel by the NWC, however, a decision was promptly taken by the management of the party to shoo them out.
Founding National Chairman of the ADC, Chief Ralphs Okey Nwosu (a traditional title holder of 'Ikolo Awka' ) while announcing the formal sack of the presidential candidate of the party and seven others on Saturday, September 17, 2022 on behalf of the NWC, said in a statement as follows, that:
“The seven-man Disciplinary Panel set up by the African Democratic Congress, ADC, to look into the allegations of gross misconduct, antiparty activities and gross violations of the Party’s constitution amongst others leveled against Mr. Dumebi Kachikwu and others, sat on the 8th, 9th, 10th, 12th, 13th and 14th of September respectively and submitted its report formally to the leadership of the party on the 15th of September 2022.
“The panel found Mr. Dumebi Kachikwu and others guilty of the allegations leveled against them, subsequently in accordance with article 15 of the party’s constitution recommended that Mr.Dumebi Kachikwu and others be expelled from the party.
“The NWC met on the 16th of September 2022 to deliberate on the report and accepted the report of the Panel with modification.
"Consequently, the following individuals are hereby expelled from the Party: Dumebi Kachikwu, Kingsley Oggah, Bello Isiyaka, Kabiru Hussain, Kennedy Odion, Musa Hassan, Clement Ehiator and Alaka Godwin William.
“With this development, the party has taken strategic steps to clean its stable and determined to move into reckoning across the country. NWC urged all the candidates and members to focus on the 2023 general election, while rededicating themselves to the ideals of the party.”
According to the ADC chairman, the NWC however enjoined it's party's rank and file to be steadfast with the ethics and rules guiding the political organization and remain focused, just as it praised the disciplinary committee for displaying courage and commitment in their assignment. NNL.
