By Ogochukwu Isioma
The Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said that Prince Kassim Afegbua has long been expelled from the party and cease to be a bonafide member of the PDP in the state, metrowatchxtra reports.
In a statement made available to metrowatchxtra Tuesday, State Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Ogie Aigbe Vasco said the ex-Presidential Campaign Spokesman of the party was expelled from the PDP for anti-party activities.
Vasco was reacting to the reported resignation of Mr Afegbua from the PDP. Recall that the former Edo Commissioner had on Monday formally resigned his membership of the ruling party in the state.
The development came days after the ex-spokesman to former Military dictator Ibrahim Babangida threatened to dump the PDP following the emergence of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State as the party’s vice-presidential candidate for the 2023 general elections.
He had accused Gov. Okowa and the PDP Southern Governors of betrayal for accepting to deputise Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the party’s presidential candidate, after openly endorsing power rotation to the South.
Mr Afegbua, who cited marginalisation of the Southern Nigeria by the PDP, said in his resignation letter addressed to the Ward Chairman, that he cannot be part of such “injustice.”
But, reacting, the Edo PDP insisted that Afegbua had long ceased to be a bonafide member of the party and should stop parading himself as one, adding that the ex-Commissioner was suspended from the PDP over anti-party activities.
The statement read: “The Edo State Chapter of the PDP wishes to notify its members, supporters and critical stakeholders that Prince Kassim Afegbua, a former Presidential Campaign spokesman of our dear party, has long ceased to be a bonafide member of the PDP in Edo State.
“Our attention has been drawn to the numerous media showmanship being put up by a former member of the PDP family in Edo State, Prince Kassim Afegbua in the past few days. Though it is his right as a Nigerian to air his opinions on issues affecting the PDP, but he should not do so with the carriage and comportment of a registered and bonafide member of the PDP.
“For the records, we bring to the attention of all that for anti-party activities, the Edo State Chapter of the PDP suspended him from party activities for one month on the 3rd of August, 2020. This suspension followed a recommendation from the executive of his Ward 5 in Etsako East Local Government Area. He persisted in his anti-party activities into the gubernatorial election in 2020. Subsequently, a six-man Disciplinary Committee was set up to investigate the allegations against him.
“The committee’s recommendations in the report submitted in May 2021 are reproduced below:
1. That Kassim Afegbua has displayed gross disobedience to party rules and regulations as contained in PDP Constitution in Chapter 10 Section 58(1) b, c, f, I, m.
2. That until Kassim Afegbua appears before the various Disciplinary Committees, he is hereby expelled from PDP in accordance with Chapter 10, Section 59(1)(g).
“Following from the above, we reiterate that Prince Kassim Afegbua expulsion from the party stands. He is not a member of the PDP Edo State family and should stop deceiving himself to be one.”
