Expulsion: Nnamani Sues PDP, Ayu, Restates Backing Tinubu

A former governor of Enugu State and senator representing Enugu East Senatorial District, Chimaroke Nnamani, has sued the Peoples Democratic Party over the disciplinary actions taken against him for alleged anti-party activities.

Nnamani filed the suit before the Federal High Court in Abuja on February 7, 2023, few days before his expulsion from the party.

Nnamani declared support for the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Bola  Tinubu, which had led to his initial suspension from the PDP.

The former governor of Enugu State said his support for the APC candidate was because he could not support a northerner to become President after the eight-year tenure of the current President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.).

On February 10, 2023 the PDP expelled Nnamani alongside some other key party members for anti-party activities.

In the front page of the court document, those listed as defendants in Nnamani’s suit are the Independent National Electoral Commission, the National Chairman of the PDP, Iyorchia Ayu, Samuel Anyanwu on behalf of the National Working Committee members of the PDP.

In the suit, Nnamani asked the court to determine whether it was proper for the party to take disciplinary actions against him without giving him fair hearing.

Meanwhile, despite being punished by his party, the senator has not relented in his support for Tinubu of the rival APC.

In a statement on Tuesday, Nnamani hailed Tinubu for improving the health sector significantly in Lagos State, when he was governor between 1999 and 2007.

He said, “It is to Tinubu’s credit that HIV/AIDS prevalence in Lagos State decreased from 6.7 per cent to 3.5per cent between 1999 and 2007 while more than 2,000 women received prevention of mother to child transmission in 10 PMTCT centres set up to prevent the disease.”

Nnamani said Tinubu’s performance in Lagos made him the best candidate to lead Nigeria at a time like this.

Meanwhile, the Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday extended the order restraining the PDP  from suspending or expelling the Governor of Rivers state, Nyesom Wike, who was also sanctioned by the party for anti-party activities.

The court extended the interim order it made on February 2, which restrained the PDP and its leadership from making suspension or expulsion moves on the governor.

The respondents in the suit are the PDP; its National Working Committee; its National Executive Council; its Chairman, Iyiocha Ayu; its National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu; and the Independent National Electoral Commission.