By Akinwale Kasali
Former Commissioner for Information, Edo State, Kassim Afegbua, has been expelled by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, over alleged anti-party activities.
In a letter to the National Chairman of the Party, Prince Uche Secondus, announcing Afegbua’s expulsion, Chairman, PDP, Edo State, Tony Aziegbemi, accused Afegbua of series of anti-party activities ahead of last year’s Governorship election in the state.
The party had earlier placed him on suspension over his support for the APC candidate during the Governorship election.
The latest development may not be unconnected with Afegbua’s petition to the Economic Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, against the National Working Committee of the Party.
In the petition, Afegbua had accused the PDP national leadership of misappropriating N10 billion generated by the party from sale of nomination forms in 2019, prompting the EFCC to extend an invitation to the NWC members.
The PDP and all its Caucuses, including the Party’s Governor’s Forum, have dismissed Afegbua’s petition as nonsense, and described EFCC’s intervention in the Party’s finances, as illegal, since that role is that of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
The expulsion letter reads:
“Mr. Kassim Afegbua as a member engaged in a series of anti-party activities in his ward before and during the Edo State Gubernatorial Election of September 19, 2020.
“All attempts by his ward, local government area and state disciplinary committees to secure his attendance at various meetings to clear himself of all allegations proved abortive.
“I hereby forward, herewith, to you the expulsion of Mr. Kassim Afegbua as unanimously affirmed by the state disciplinary committee of our party in Edo State.”
Reacting to his expulsion, Afegbua dismissed it as “laughable and ridiculous,” and said he would consult his lawyers to know what actions to take next.
