Yekini Jimoh in Lokoja
Kogi State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Sam Uhuotu, has been suspended from office by some members of the State Executive Committee (SEC).
The suspension came after a vote-of-no confidence passed on the chairman, which was contained in a letter dated September 29, signed by 30 of the SEC members and addressed to the state chairman.
The letter read in part: “The underlisted members of the state executive committee of the party wich to bring to your notice that we no longer have confidence in your ability to lead and carry the party to its desired destination due to your constant and deliberate violations of the provisions of our party constitution.
“You have deliberately refused to pass any information to the members of the state executive committee, which has led to lack of party activities in the state, local and ward levels. The party as it is today in the state under your leadership has remained stagnant
“You have constituted yourself into a one man executive, where you take and implement decisions without following the laid down provisions of the party. After the loss of the party in most of the elections, you didn’t deem it fit to call for meetings to discuss the supplementary election to make the party strategise for those elections and assistance can be rendered to our various candidates involved.”
The members at a meeting held at the secretariat of the party yesterday in Lokoja, the state capital, accused the chairman of violating the provisions of chapter 10, Section 58 (1a,b, c, d and h) of the constitution of the party.
According to the members, the embattled chairman had deliberately refused to call meeting of the SEC since assuming office, adding that he hardly come to the office in Lokoja as he prefers to stay in Abuja.
The SEC members also lamented that the local government and ward chapters of the party had been completely cut of from the party, leading to loss of popularity at the grassroots level.
“By your action, you have relegated the party to its lowest level which has resulted in the party losing election to a candidate it has always defeated by hundreds of thousands votes difference being defeated by the party overnight.
“You have refused to account for fund collected on behalf of the party and expenditures incurred most especially during the last two conventions in Port Harcourt. Your method of financial appropriation contravenes the financial provisions of our party”, the letter stated.
The SEC members however said following the suspension of Uhuotu, the state deputy chairman is to act and constitute a disciplinary committee consisting seven people to look into the allegations leveled against the chairman.
Also speaking on behalf of the chairmen of the party at the local government level, Mohammed Muhammed, who is the party chairman for Lokoja local government area, said they had constituted a committee to meet with all tiers of leadership of the party to further prevent grievances.
He said the committee would meet with the various tiers of leadership in order to make the PDP regain its lost glory in the state.
Meanwhile, the embattled chairman in his reaction to the allegations, said he was yet to see copy of the letter.
