The APC Legal Adviser in Delta, Mr Valentine Onojeghuo, said Thursday that only the state party chairman, Prophet Jones Erue, has the prerogative to call for a State Executive Committee (SEC) meeting.
Onojeghuo stated this in Warri while responding to the meeting held by “a factional group’’ of the party on Wednesday.
The party’s Secretary in Delta, Mr Okonji Chidi, who led the factional group, had told newsmen in Warri that the meeting constituted a five-man Disciplinary/Fact Finding Committee.
According to Chidi, the committee is to probe the chairman over the suspension of his deputy, Mr Elvis Ayomanor and some other executive members of the party.
They had also accused the chairman of anti-party activities as well as lack of transparency and accountability in running the affairs of the party.
Onojeghuo, reacting to the development, said the group’s allegations against Erue were frivolous, adding that the decision to probe him was baseless.
“The decision to suspend them (Ayomanor and some other executive members) was taken by the State Working Committee in accordance with Article 21 of the party’s Constitution.
“A vote of no confidence was passed on them, so they lacked the locus standi to take decision in the party.
“Only the party chairman has the prerogative to call for APC meeting in Delta.
“Erue has run the party transparently, the auditor is there to verify the party’s account,” Onojeghuo said.
Earlier, the factional group had addressed newsmen on Wednesday in Warri describing the suspension of the executive members as illegal.
Chidi, along with some suspended executive members of the party, had urged Erue to step aside while the allegations against him were being investigated.
He said that a Disciplinary/Fact Finding Committee had been constituted and mandated to submit its report to SEC in the next two weeks.
“The decision by Erue to suspend Ayomanor, Woman Leader, Mrs Janet Oyubu, Delta South senatorial chairman, Mr Tosan Awani and six others for alleged misconduct contravened the party’s constitution.
“The APC Delta, SEC met to review the fresh crisis rocking the party in the state arising from the ‘unilateral and arbitrary’ constitution of vacant senatorial positions in the party and the illegal suspension.
“The APC State Working Committee or State Executive Committee did not meet on Jan. 18, 2020 as claimed by Erue and we have not met since March 2019.
“At no time was any meeting held to take decisions on the above subject matters.
“Also, at no time was any complaint or allegation sent to the APC SEC in compliance with Article 21(B) of the Party’s Constitution.
“Therefore, SEC has decided that the decision taken by Erue is null and void, a violation of Articles 20 and 21 of the party’s Constitution.
“He has persistently refused to give account or provide information on all funds of the party,’’ the group alleged. (NAN)
