Photo: Chief David Kente.
Breaking: APC expels ex-governorship aspirant, suspends senator-elect
The Taraba State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has expelled a former governorship aspirant of the party in the 2023 elections, Mr David Kente, over alleged anti-party activities.
The party also suspended Taraba South Senator-elect, David Jumkuta, for allegedly working against the party during the elections.
Chairman of the party, Elsudi Ibrahim, announced this at a press conference held on Tuesday in Jalingo, the state capital.
He urged Kente to stop parading himself as a member of the party, and called on the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party to expel Jumkuta.
Ibrahim said that he remained the chairman of the party after he was reinstated by an appeal court following the controversial vote of no confidence passed on him by some members of the state working committee.
He said, “You will recall that some time ago in July 2022, the Executives of APC Kente Ward of Wukari Local Government Area wrote the Chairman of APC Wukari LGA calling for the expulsion of Chief David Sabo Kente on series of allegations and offences against the party as enshrined in the party constitution 2022 as amended.
”You will equally recall that the APC Wukari LGA severally invited Chief David Sabo Kente to defend himself on the allegations leveled against him by the APC of his Ward but he refused to honour their invitations and abused them instead.
”On 12th August 2022, the APC Wukari Local Government wrote a letter to the State APC on the above complaints. Having investigated and confirmed that all constitutional procedures of fair hearing and disciplinary steps have been satisfactory followed by both the Ward and Local Government level of the party in Kente and Wukari Local Government.
”The State working Committee in its sitting on Thursday, 20th April, 2023, exercised its powers under Article 13.9 iv of the party constitution and ratified the decision of the APC Wukari Local Government Area.
”For the avoidance of doubt, Chief David Sabo Kente stands expelled from the All Progressives Congress and should stop parading himself as a Member of the Party, hence forth.”
While announcing Jimkuta’s suspension, the party chairman also said, “You will also recall that on 21-3-2023 the APC Fete Ward of Takum L.G.A leveled some offenses against the party by the Senator-Elect for Southern Taraba State, Hon. Jimkuta S.U David.
“The APC Takum Local Government Constituted a 5-man Disciplinary Committee who invited Hon. Jimkuta S.U David but he refused to Honour the invitation.
“The report of the Disciplinary Committee was submitted to APC Takum Local Government who in turn expelled Hon. Jimkuta S.U David from APC.
“In line with Article 13.9 (iv) of the APC Constitution 2022 as amended, the State working Committee sat on 20th April, 2023, and ratified the action of the APC Takum Local Government with slight modification in line with 21.5 (h), (ii) by suspending him from the party but recommending to the National Executive Committee for his expulsion from the party for the plethora of offences he is found guilty of.
“Hon. Jimkuta S.U David Stands suspended from the party henceforth.”