Zonal leaders of NCP quashes removal of Omoragbon, Adebola Lateef, reaffirm confidence on both leaders

National Deputy Chairmen (NDC) of National Conscience Party (NCP) have declared that the removal of Comrade Adebola Lateef, Acting National General Secretary and Pastor Peters Omoragbon, NDC (South-South) from the party remains unconstitutional, null and void.

This was part of the Resolutions of the group at the end of the 10^th Consultative Meeting of the National Deputy Chairmen of the party held virtually on Sunday, January 29, 2023.

The press release after the meeting read “The removal of both Comrade Adebola Lateef and Pastor Peters Omoragbon remain unconstitutional (and invalid) and would ensure it is corrected at any NCC meeting in the nearest future. The NDC reaffirm their immense confidence in both leaders as NDC South-South and Acting National General Secretary for all their contributions to the growth and development of the Party.”

The group stated that the meeting was the continuation of the consultations between the elected National Deputy Chairmen on the state of the Party and the nation at large.

Present at the meeting were: Comrade Waheed Lawal (NDC Southwest); Pastor Peters Omoragbon (NDC South-South) and Comrade Adebola Lateef (Acting National General Secretary)

According to Zonal leaders, the agenda of the meeting was to discuss as elected Zonal Leaders of the Party the resultant negative implications of the outcomes of the NCC Meeting held in Abuja on January 21 and 22, 2023, with a view to bridging the gaps in the seeming breakdown of communication amongst the leaders of the Party.

The NDC in session therefore resolved to be guided by the provisions of the party Constitution in their deliberations in uniting the members and directing the focus of the party through a purposeful leadership to a common cause and goal.

The NDC also noted with genuine concerns the outcome of the last NCC meeting which was not and has not been officially communicated to any of the Zonal Leaders to date, but information gathered so far were from the news outlets and social media. This action, the NDC view, as not encouraging as it breeds rumours and mischiefs.

After a careful and deliberate analysis of all the information so far gathered, the following issues were identified: The purported appointment of Barrister V.C Odumejemba as National General Secretary to replace Comrade Adebola Lateef, the current Acting National General Secretary; The purported expulsion of the Deputy National Chairman South-South (Pastor Peters Omoragbon); The purported appointment of Mr. Godwin Umana as the purported Acting National Deputy Chairman of the South-South Zone; The purported appointment of Mr Babatunde Agunbiade Led Committee with very unclear Terms of Reference; The purported ‘adoption’ of Mr. Peter Obi the Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party as the NCP candidate to support and campaign for.

In their resolutions, the group said, “After painfully deliberating on the Five issues above and the current divisive state of affairs of the party, coupled with a planned continuous expressed vitriol within the rank and file of the Party, the NDCs hereby resolves as follows: That the copy of the minutes, communique, and resolutions of the NCC Meeting of January 21 and 22, 2023 be circulated without further delay to all members of the NCC and NEC since these are already in the public domain. It is only proper to have this done to stop all forms of speculations.

“The NDC believe that the decision to have Comrade Adebola Lateef replaced by Barrister V.C. Odumejemba and the expulsion of Pastor Peters Omoragbon as NDC SouthSouth and his replacement with Mr Godwin Umana negates the spirit and provisions of Articles 4.3.3: The Committee (NEC) shall have the Power to fill vacancies in its membership pending a meeting of the National Congress, and the reliance on Article 3.4 in expelling Pastor Peters Omoragbon cannot be in isolation of Articles 9.8.2 (b), (c), (d). Specifically, subsection (b) was very Unambiguous as stated herein:

“The Disciplinary Committee shall within 1 week of receiving any complaint against any elected officer notify same in writing to invite the concerned officer to defend himself/herself in writing to the committee within 2 weeks of being notified failing which he/she shall be deemed to have no defence to the allegations and to have admitted same. This same subsection applies to the removal and replacement of Comrade Lateef Adebola by Barrister V.C Odumejemba,” the group said.