Abia Elections: SDP Expels Guber Aspirant, Others Over Anti-Party Activities

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News Across Nigeria, News From The State Friday, March 15th, 2019

From Ignatius Okpara, Umuahia

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – Less than a week after the election, the Abia state chapter of the crisis- ridden Social Democratic Party, SDP has suspended the 17 local government chairmen of the party over alleged anti-party activities.

The party also announced the expulsion of one of its governorship aspirants in the 2018 primaries, Ambassador Endurance Philips, over similar misconduct.

It accused the party chieftain of working with the ruling People’s Democratic Party PDP in the state to cause factional crisis in the leadership of the party in Abia, a development it said, affected its outing during the just concluded 2019 general election.

Chairman of SDP in the state, Mr. Chidi Nwosu, announced the expulsion on Thursday during a press conference in Umuahia, the Abia state capital.

He recalled how Philips led 17 council chairmen of (SDP) in the state, in adopting the incumbent Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of the PDP as sole candidate of the Party before the just concluded 2019 general elections, saying the actions of the accused members posed a big threat to the peace and progress of the party.

Nwosu explained that the suspension followed a directive by the national body of the party.

“Our great party recently just before the governorship and State Assembly elections is witnessed thrive of dissidents propelled by one of our leaders, Ambassador Endurance Phillips, who saw the election as an opportunity to shortchange our great party for his private and personal interest of acquiring his property the State Government reallocated to DSS Abia State for public interest.

“He felt he could not achieve his goal if he does not brainwash some LGA chairmen against our most qualified governorship candidate, Hon. Mrs. Dame Blessing Nwagba, PhD, and the State chairman, Hon. Chidi Nwosu.

“We believe he had negotiated with the PDP government in Umuahia for a spoon of paragon by factionalizing the party and weaken the chances of our governorship candidate winning the Guber election.

“He had severally hosted some of the former chairmen who of course had been suspended by the party on noticing their objectives.

According to Nwosu, “Their suspension remains pending the outcome of the disciplinary committee investigating them.

“For Ambassador Philips attempt to factionalize our coherent party, we view his actions as undue interference, insubordination and tending to use our party as batter for his land Government had acquired.

“We, therefore, consider him a threat to the peace and progress of our dear party. Considering Ambassador Philips actions the party is compelled to expel him henceforth. This decision shall be communicated to NWC for ratification.” he stated.