APC nullifies Ojougboh’s expulsion for anti-party activities

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has nullified the purported expulsion of the party’s chieftain in Delta State, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh.

Ojougboh was expelled from the APC by the party’s executive committee in the Ika South local government area of Delta State in March.

In a letter dated March 27 and signed by the party’s chairman in Ika LGA, Hilary Ibude, the executive committee said the chieftain was expelled following a series of petitions on his alleged involvement in anti-party activities.

However, in a fresh letter written by its National Legal Adviser, Ahmad El-Marzuq, the party described Ojougboh’s expulsion as null and void and of no effect.

The letter was addressed to the APC chairman in Ika LGA and made available to journalists on Wednesday.

El-Marzuq said the decision to expel the former Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) executive director was inappropriate because he was not given a fair hearing on the allegations against him.

He wrote: “In your letter under reference, you attached the resolution of Ika South Local Government Area in Delta to expel Dr. Cairo Ojougboh from the party.

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“I have gone through the resolution of the Chairman of Ika South Local Government Area approving the expulsion of Ojougboh from the party.

“And it is my observation from the documents availed to the party that there was no evidence that the crucial element of fair hearing was afforded to Ojougboh to justify the resolution to expel him.

“Without evidence of compliance with the basic procedure of disciplining a member of the party as envisaged in Article 21 of our party’s constitution, the expulsion of Ojougboh from the party would be null and void and of no effect whatsoever.

“Secondly, it is important to mention that the punishment of expulsion meted to Ojougboh by the chairman can only be confirmed and ratified by the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC).

“This is in accordance with Article 21.5 of the party’s constitution which was not followed and thus, the expulsion of Ojougboh remains inchoate until it is forwarded to the party’s NEC for a final determination of the matter.”

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