Posted by Tony Edike & Anayo Okoli on
THE People's Democratic Party (PDP), yesterday, re-admitted Chief Chris Uba into the party after showing 'sufficient remorse." The South-East Zone of the party has also nominated Chief Uba as a Board of Trustees member of the party.
ENUGU - THE People's Democratic Party (PDP), yesterday, re-admitted Chief Chris Uba into the party after showing 'sufficient remorse." The South-East Zone of the party has also nominated Chief Uba as a Board of Trustees member of the party.
Already, his name has been sent to the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the party for consideration and acceptance.
But nothing was said of the embattled Governor Chris Ngige of Anambra State who was expelled alongside Chief Uba. Sources close to the party said Ngige failed to show any remorse and even dragged the party to court and attacked the party on the pages of the newspapers.
Uba's re-admission followed an appeal from his ward, local government and the Anambra State Chapter of the party, all of which have already endorsed his re-admission into the party barely one year after he was expelled.
Uba and Ngige were expelled by the then Chief Audu Ogbe-led National Executive Committee of the party following the protracted political crisis in Anambra State. Announcing their expulsion following the acceptance of the report of the Oyinlola panel, Ogbeh had said they might be re-admitted if they showed sufficient remorse.
Not happy with the action of the party, Uba's ward (Uga Ward I) petitioned the party's National Working Committee through the State Chapter to express its disapproval of the expulsion order and pleaded that he be recalled, given his immense contribution to the party and more so, having proved himself a loyal party member.
The Aguata Local Government executive of the party also made a similar appeal, calling for Uba's re-admission. The state chapter after considering the appeals made by the ward and local government, wrote to the zonal leadership of the party and made a strong case for Chief Uba's re-admission.
In making the case for his readmission, the state chapter said Uba had conducted himself as a loyal and dedicated party man as he never attacked the party on his expulsion, stressing that while the governor took the party to court and went ahead to disparage it on the pages of the newspaper, Uba took his fate calmly and abided by the decision of the party.
Following these steps, the South-East Zonal executive committee at its meeting shortly after last Saturday's congress in Enugu, considered the various appeals from Anambra State regarding Uba's re-admission and resolved that he be re-admitted in accordance with Article 16 of PDP Constitution.
In the resolution signed by National Vice Chairman, South-East Zone, Nze Ozichukwu Fidelis Chukwu; Zonal Secretary, Chief Okey Ezenwa; and Chairmen of the party in the five South-East states of Anambra, Abia, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo, the party resolved as follows:
lThat the zonal leadership of the party has accepted the petition from the Anambra State PDP on the re-admission of Chief Chris Uba to the party, having been re-admitted by his ward, local government and state chapters of the party through the various resolutions as passed by their respective executive committees.
lThat Chief Chris Uba has been duly re-admitted to the PDP after fulfilling all the relevant provisions of the party's constitution.
lThat in line with the resolution of the Anambra State Executive Committee of the PDP, the South-East Zone has accepted that Chief Chris Uba be mandated to lead Anambra State PDP.
lThat we have also forwarded the nomination of Chief Chris Uba as a Board of Trustees member to the Chairman of the National Board of Trustees of the party for consideration and acceptance.
lThat the South-East Zone of the party has recognised the importance and relevance of Chief Chris Uba to the party in Anambra State in particular and the entire South-East Zone in general.
lHaving considered the above, we urge the National Chairman to please ask the National Executive Committee (NEC) of our great party to rescind the expulsion order on Chief Chris Uba, as he has shown remorse and total commitment to the progress of our great party.
Ozichukwu, while presenting the resolution at a press briefing yesterday, confirmed that Uba had shown sufficient remorse and promised that the zonal leadership would take the appeal to NEC for consideration. According to him, Chief Uba took the expulsion in good faith.
In his remarks, Anambra State Chairman of the party, Mr. Uchenna Emodi, said the party received appeals from Uba's ward and local government chapters of the party which necessitated the appeal from the state to the zonal chapter, stressing that the state executive was convinced that Uba, who was the state leader of the party, had shown sufficient remorse to merit re-admission.
Speaking on the development, Ebonyi State Chairman of the party, Chief Obinna Ogba, expressed the hope that the National Secretariat, National Executive Committee and the National Working Committee of the party would whole-heartedly accept the decision of the zone on Uba's re-admission which he described as a good development for the party.