The appointment of Chief. Ikeje Asogwa as the acting chairman of Enugu State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has been described as constitutional and legal.
Reacting to a statement credited to the Deputy Chairman of the PDP, Mr. David Aja, to the effect that he should have become the acting party chairman following Abba’s resignation, a constitution lawyer, Charlie Agbo, said Asogwa’s appointment as the acting chairman was legal, adding that the state executive committee had the right to call a meeting “upon the satisfaction of a numerical requirement.”
In a statement issued yesterday whch was made available to our correspondent, Agbo said Aja was wrong in stating that Asogwa’s appointment was not in strict compliance with Sections 35 and 45 of the PDP constitution.
“The allegation by Mr. David Aja that the appointment of Mr. Ikeje Asogwa as the acting chairman of the party in the state was illegal on account of the fact that the meeting in which he was appointed was not convened by him (Aja) cannot stand any serious legal challenge on account of the fact that the party’s constitution, mindful of the possibility of abuse, empowers the members of the State Executive Committee to call a meeting upon the satisfaction of a numerical threshold,” he said.
The lawyer stated that Aja had no locus standi to complain about the meeting where Asogwa was selected, “having attended the said meeting, which he was obviously privy to.”
He stated that by not only attending the meeting but also signing the attendance register, Aja “had ratified it, thereby disqualifying himself from raising any issue of constitutionality assuming that the issue he is raising can avail him in first place.”
According to him, if the facts Aja was alleging were true, “he could have pressed them better by staying out of the meeting and denying it, but unfortunately for him, the motive to invalidate that meeting was formed after he had attended it and participated actively in the deliberations.”
Agbo therefore, advised PDP stakeholders in Enugu State to disregard Aja’s position and “ensure that the will of the people, as indicated by the choice of Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi is done.”
He stated that the Ugwuanyi train was “of the people, for the people and by the people,” adding: “Any plot to derail it through underhand plots should be exposed and frustrated.”
It could be recalled that Asogwa was announced on Saturday as the acting chairman after former chairman of the state PDP, Mr. Vita Abba, resigned his appointment. He was chosen in a meeting of the state executive council of the party.
