1 week ago
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ABUJA – Former governor of Benue state, Samuel Ortom and the embattled National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Samuel Anyanwu on Wednesday shunned the
Tom-Ikimi led disciplinary committee of the party.
This is even as Ortom gave the Disciplinary Committee 48 hour to apologize to him for defaming his person or face legal action.
After waiting for three hours, the disciplinary committee told journalists that it decided to reschedule its sitting for fair hearing. The panel has rescheduled it’s meeting for March 4, 2025.
In his explanation, Ikimi said the committee sent invitations through courier service particularly DHL to Ortom and Anyanwu.
“We sent the invitations through DHL and we have evidence that they received them. But in the case of Ortom, they said it was not received. So we are giving them another opportunity by resending the invitation.”
On Anyanwu, the committee disclosed that he complained about not being well and added that yesterday was his medical appointment.
Addressing newsmen after waiting for three hours, Ikimi said, “last week Wednesday, we went through the various petitions before us and two petitions were slated for hearing today.
“One petition was against the National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu and the other against some members of the party from Benue state, including former governor of Benue State, Dr. Samuel Ortom and ten others.
“We were prepared to hear the petition today; the petitions were served on them directly and through courier and we have evidence that the petitions arrived at their destinations.
“However, we could not proceed today due to correspondences received from these two persons we were supposed to meet.
“Former Secretary, Senator Anyanwu sent us a letter indicating that he was not well and that he had medical challenges, and a medical appointment for today; he backed that up with a letter from his hospital and his doctor; so, he therefore asked for another date.
“In the case of Samuel Ortom and others, they claimed that they had not received the petitions which were sent to them; but the petitions were sent and we have evidence that they were sent to them.
“However, the committee has met and because we believe that we should give everyone fair hearing and that we should not ignore issues like health challenges, we have decided to defer the hearing by another two to three weeks so that they will assure that they received the petitions sent to them. So, we have deferred the hearing to 4th of March.
“We believe that all will be well and the Committee is going to be fair to everyone.”
Fielding questions from newsmen, Ikimi pointed out that the party cannot do anything if any act is committed unless petitions are sent to the committee.
He said: “Whether acts were committed against the party in 2015, 2019, 2020 or any other year, we can do nothing about them except there are petitions sent to this committee.
“This committee does not write petitions, we only attend to petitions that are sent to us. So, if there’s no petition against somebody, we are not going to do anything about it because that is not our business. I’m not out here to write petitions and deal with what is seen in newspapers.
“Secondly, I cannot tell you what the consequences would be for anyone because we have not heard them.
“With regard to Anyanwu and whether he is still the secretary or not, it has nothing to do with this committee. The petitions were sent to Anyanwu as Secretary of the PDP; if he is no longer secretary, we don’t know.”
Meanwhile, Ortom has asked the Tom Ikimi -led disciplinary committee to tender public apology to him for allegedly violating his fundamental rights in breach of the party’s constitution.
In a letter signed by his lawyer, C. T. Mue, Ortom cited many sections of the constitution of the PDP which he said were violated by the Disciplinary Committee.
“The premature publication of allegations against Our Client, without being duly informed, as provided by Section 57(4) of the Constitution of PDP 2017 (as amended), has led to public ridicule and reputational harm.” The letter read.
Ortom said he was never notified of any allegations before a public statement was made by the Disciplinary Committee against him.
He said: “Despite this clear provision, Our Client was neither formally notified of any allegations in writing before the Press Release was issued. This constitutes a gross violation of the provisions of the PDP Constitution.”
Ortom further said that Section 57(7), “clearly states that no Executive Committee at any level, except the National Executive Committee (NEC), shall entertain any question of discipline relating to members of the National Executive Committee, Deputy Governors, or Members of the National Assembly.
“Thus, the National Disciplinary Committee lacks the jurisdiction to entertain any disciplinary action against them, making the purported inquiry procedurally defective and unconstitutional.
“We demand that the National Disciplinary Committee immediately withdraw the Press Release issued on 5th February 2025.
“That a written apology be issued to Our Client within 48 hours of receiving this notice.
That the National Disciplinary Committee cease and desist from further public commentary on our clients’ matter until they have been formally notified of any allegations and given an opportunity to respond.
“Failure to comply with these demands within 48 hours from receipt of this letter will leave Our Client with no choice but to seek redress in a court of law, including instituting a defamation lawsuit and petitioning law enforcement agencies for violations of the Cybercrimes Act 2015.”
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