…Indefinite suspension rendered me party less — Senator fires back
By Steve Oko
The Abia State chapter of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has cautioned Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, representing Abia South, against misleading the Senate and the public with claims that he was expelled from the party.
The party insisted that the senator was never sacked but placed on suspension over alleged anti-party activities.
Addressing a press conference in Umuahia, APGA Chairman, Ambassador Sunday Onukwubiri, alongside the party’s 2023 deputy governorship candidate, Hon. Obinna Ichita, and the State Publicity Secretary, Chukwuemeka Nwokoro, challenged Abaribe to produce evidence supporting his claim of expulsion.
They urged the Senate President to declare Abaribe’s seat vacant should he fail to “honourably resign,” accusing him of betraying the party that provided him a platform.
“This is not a witch-hunt. We are acting in good conscience. Senator Abaribe betrayed the party and should relinquish the mandate,” the party leaders said.
APGA further alleged that the senator was lobbying party leaders in his Ward to procure a sack letter to validate his claims, describing the move as unethical.
The party maintained that there was no leadership crisis within its ranks to justify Abaribe’s defection, noting that all internal disputes had been resolved by the Supreme Court in early 2023.
Speaking, Hon. Ichita argued that the mandate belongs to the party and the electorate, not the office holder.
“You cannot assume an imperial status because you occupy an office. This is a democracy, not a monarchy,” he said.
Ichita disclosed that Abaribe voluntarily resigned from the party after his suspension, insisting due process was followed.
“He was invited to respond to allegations but failed to do so. He later resigned and is now attempting to mislead the public by claiming he was sacked,” Ichita stated.
He further advised the senator to vacate his seat to avoid what he described as “national embarrassment.”
APGA also revealed it had entered into a “strategic alliance” with another party ahead of the 2027 elections, promising to unveil details in due course.
On his part, APGA Publicity Secretary, Nwokoro, reiterated the party’s position, stressing that Abaribe had no legal basis to retain his seat after defecting.
“The law is clear. Having voluntarily left the party, he cannot continue to hold the mandate. He should vacate the office before he is disgraced,” Nwokoro said.
Chairman Onukwubiri also accused the senator of neglecting the party, claiming there was no functional APGA structure in his ward despite his position.
However, reacting to the allegations, Senator Abaribe maintained that his indefinite suspension effectively rendered him partyless, justifying his decision to seek another political platform.
“When you place someone on indefinite suspension for over six months, what does that mean? It simply means the person no longer belongs to the party,” he argued.
Abaribe who chairs the Senate Committee on Power, dismissed claims that he was seeking to fabricate a sack letter as “scandalous and insulting.”
” My name is Enyinnaya Abaribe. There are certain things you should know I cannot do”, he said.
He also refuted assertions that he lobbied for APGA’s ticket in 2023, claiming instead that party leaders approached him to join their fold.
Abaribe further downplayed APGA’s role in his electoral victory, attributing his success to personal popularity among constituents.
He cited precedents of lawmakers defecting without losing their seats, including a court ruling involving Senate President Godswill Akpabio, to justify his position.
“Is it because I did not defect to the APC? Others have defected without consequences. Why is my case different?” he queried.
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