By Juliana Lortyom and Emmanuel Oloniruha
The National Rescue Movement has suspended its National Chairman, Isaac Udeh, as well nominated Prince Chinedu Obi as it acting National chairman of the party.
The decisions were taken by the party National Executive Committee of the party during its first quarterly meeting on Monday in Abuja.
The NEC emergency which was observed by officers of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), also set up a committee to look into allegations against Udeh.
The acting National Secretary of the party, Obidike Okolo, speaking in an interview with the newsmen during the meeting said that Udeh was suspended on allegations of misconduct and violation of NRM Constitution.
Okolo recalled that Udeh was suspended by NRM members at his polling units in 2023 due to allegation of violation of party constitution.
He also recalled that despite the suspension, Udeh on Jan. 17 gathered some people to hold a purported emergency convention for NRM, an action he described as illegal, unauthorized and unconstitutional.
He said that Udeh unilaterally wrote to INEC that NRM was going to hold an emergency convention, even when there was no such a decision; “thankfully the invitation was rejected by INEC’’.
He said that Udeh had being in the habit of committing infractions against NRM constitution, recalling that the party National Management Committee (NCM) sometimes in 2024 passed a vote of no confidence on Udeh.
“We have also set up a committee to look into all those things, because the rule of fair hearing requires that when you have an allegation against somebody, that the person will come and say what he knows about it.
“This we have availed him earlier, but he didn’t attend, but we have also extended that generosity again to him.
“We have set up a committee that will look at all the things he has done in the past, all these allegations, and make recommendations to the NEC,’’ Okolo said.
He said that the essence of Udeh’s suspension was for him to step aside to give room for his investigation
“When the committee finishes its work, and we find him innocent, he will step back to his position as the national chairman,’’ he said.
In his acceptance speech, Obi , who was the NRM National Welfare Secretary until his nomination as acting national chairman, pledged to rebuild the party and reunite it members.
“I want to assure you that beginning from now, we will begin a process of rebuilding our party. Starting from internal reconnection,’’ he said
Okolo pledged the NRM would continue to be a party where the rule of law count and also provide opportunity to all Nigerians to end bad governance.
He commended INEC and the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) for protecting the party against hijack through the backdoor.
He also commended the party NMC members for demonstrating that the NRM had the capacity to provide leadership for Nigeria.
Other decisions of the NEC include the nomination of members to fill vacancy positions in the party national offices.