ADC Suspends Three Ward Officials Over Attempted Suspension of Ireti Kingibe

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) chapter of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has suspended three executive members from Wuse Ward in the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) over their role in the attempted suspension of Ireti Kingibe.

Kingibe currently represents the Federal Capital Territory in the Nigerian Senate.

The suspended officials are ward chairman Kanayo Chukwu, along with Amanda Pam and Omale Suleiman. Party leaders say the trio spearheaded the move to suspend the senator earlier in the week.

Speaking to journalists in Abuja, a member of the party’s National Working Committee, Emmanuel Destiny, said the action taken by the ward officials violated the party’s constitution and ignored established procedures.

According to him, the national leadership had not received any written complaint or petition against Kingibe prior to the suspension announcement.

“The party is supreme to every individual. Until now, the national wing of the party has not been served any letter of complaint or petition against Senator Kingibe,” Destiny said. He added that suspending a serving senator without a formal petition or documented complaint could not be recognised by the party.

Destiny said the national leadership would take disciplinary action against those involved, describing the development as misconduct by officials who acted outside the party’s authority.

The party’s Deputy National Auditor, Princess Nneka Nneboh, said the leadership decided to intervene after giving the officials time to follow the proper process.

“We asked them to do the right thing and follow the proper channel. Whatever decision we take here today stands,” she said.

FCT ADC Secretary John Hyginus also criticised what he described as administrative lapses and a breach of the party’s constitution. He said ward and area council chairmen had passed a vote of no confidence in the three officials involved in initiating Kingibe’s suspension.

The meeting at the ADC FCT secretariat in Abuja was attended by several party leaders, including FCT chairman Clement Ihigiato and AMAC chairman Emeka Nnamani.

The dispute began earlier in the week when officials in Wuse Ward announced Kingibe’s suspension, accusing her of anti-party activities, insubordination and violating party rules. They also alleged that she withheld campaign funds meant for the party during the recent area council elections in the FCT.

However, the national leadership of the ADC quickly rejected the decision. In a separate statement, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, described the report of Kingibe’s suspension as false and urged the public and the media to disregard it.

A motion calling for the suspension of the three ward executives was moved by ADC chieftain Danlami Zuru and seconded by Wuse Ward executive member Samuel Dimgba.

Meanwhile, the ward’s publicity secretary, Samuel Nwigbo, had earlier raised concerns in an open letter to the party’s National Working Committee. In the letter, he questioned the party’s readiness to enter a major election with a candidate he alleged did not actively campaign for the party during a recent election within her constituency.