ADC upholds expulsion of Kogi lawmaker

The National Working Committee of the African Democratic Congress has ratified the expulsion of Kogi federal lawmaker, Leke Abejide, endorsing an earlier decision taken by the state chapter over alleged serial acts of indiscipline.

The confirmation, announced at the end of the NWC meeting in Abuja, follows weeks of internal wrangling and a formal request by the Kogi chapter urging the Speaker of the House of Representatives to declare the Yagba Federal Constituency seat vacant.

In a statement issued on Thursday by the National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC leadership reiterated its zero-tolerance policy on misconduct.

“The National Working Committee of the African Democratic Congress has ratified the decision of the Kogi State Executive Committee of the party to expel Hon. Leke Abejide from the party for various acts of indiscipline.

“The party reaffirmed that it would not tolerate any acts of indiscipline from its members as it seeks to build a party governed by discipline, character, and integrity,” the statement read.

The NWC also directed the Kogi leadership to immediately begin filling vacant positions at the ward, local government, and state levels in line with approved transition guidelines ahead of forthcoming congresses.

Two weeks earlier, the Kogi ADC had formally written to Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, notifying him of Abejide’s expulsion and urging the House to declare his seat vacant.

The correspondence — jointly signed by State Chairman Kingsley Temitope Ogga and Secretary Adaji John Udale — accused the two-term lawmaker of gross misconduct and anti-party activities.

The letter also referenced his earlier suspension on August 4 and his refusal to appear before the Appeal Committee prior to his final expulsion on August 28.

The chapter further alleged that Abejide intensified his offences by making damaging public statements against the party on national television and other media platforms.

The ratification comes barely a week after Abejide mounted a strong counter-offensive, dismissing the move to unseat him as a desperate ploy by individuals he insists no longer have legal standing in the ADC.

His camp argued that the petitioners behind the move had themselves been expelled at the ward level, with the action subsequently ratified at all levels of the party structure.

In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Public Communications, Bashiru Mohammed, the lawmaker’s team described Ogga and Udale as lacking the authority to challenge his mandate.

Mohammed accused them of misleading the public with a petition driven by malice, insisting their expulsion had long been confirmed from ward to national levels.

He said the duo had no basis to invoke constitutional provisions they barely understood, noting that “the leadership of the ADC has long expelled the pair.”

He urged the new party hierarchy to familiarise themselves with Sections 68 and 109 of the Constitution, which outline the grounds for declaring parliamentary seats vacant.

According to him, those pushing the petition were attempting to rely on constitutional arguments that the party itself had failed to uphold in previous internal matters.

“The ADC, which flagrantly failed to respect the constitution of the party at the national level following Nwosu’s resignation, cannot refer to the superior constitution of Nigeria at the state level,” he said.

Abejide’s camp maintains that he was duly re-elected and that his mandate remains intact, insisting that his supporters and the law stand firmly behind him.