The All Progressives Congress, APC, in Abia State on Friday suspended the former Governor of Abia State and its Abia North senatorial candidate, Sen. Orji Uzor Kalu, from the party, 10 hours to the National Assembly elections, on Saturday.
Kalu is the incumbent Senator representing Abia North in the Senate as well as a principal officer of the Senate.
The ex-governor was axed by the the state party stakeholders for alleged anti-party activities.
It was gathered that Orji’s trouble started when he appeared on a national television TV interview, openly campaigning against the party’s governorship candidate.
Orji was said to have made it clear that he would not support the State governorship candidate of the party against his own biological brother, who is also contesting the same position on the platform of another political party.
The Disciplinary Committee chairman, Barr. Paul Nwabuisi; state secretary of the party, Chief Chidi Avaja, and party chairman, Dr Kingsley Ononogbu, in a jointly signed letter of suspension said Orji’s suspension was with immediate effect.
“The suspension is as a result of thorough investigations and recommendations of the disciplinary committee set up by Igbere Ward A, Bende LGA and the leadership of the party,” the letter said.
The Senate Chief Whip, was alleged to have violated Article 21b (i-v) of the Constitution of the party.
“Notification on Suspension”, which was addressed to the Senator, said the action “is in consonance with Article 21b (i-v) of the Constitution of the party.
“Note that the party is highly committed to her integrity and as such will not condone any of these afore-stated acts and other forms of anti-party activities.” The letter read.
This was copied to the national chairman of APC, Senator Abdullahi Adamu.
The state chapter of the party stated that there was a concrete evidence for his suspension stressing that the integrity of the party must be protected.
