NDP expels DG, disowns IBB

Bola Badmus, Abuja - 08.01.2008

Crisis rocking the National Democratic Party (NDP) deepens on Monday in Abuja as the party denied that former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida, had ever funded any of its activities, even as it announced the expulsion of its director-general, Prince Kassim Afegbua, from the party for allegedly issuing an unauthorised statement.

Ahead of the last presidential election, the NDP had given its ticket to the General as its preferred candidate and insisted then that Babangida was in the party and would soon make public declaration of it, having accepted the offer.

According to the NDP’s National Chairman, Prince Chudi Chukwuani, Babangida’s money was not in the party and had never paid the rents on the NDP headquarters in Wuse 11 where the party was relocating from, following ejection by the landlord over inability to fulfill the new rents and conditions.

Afegbua’s expulsion came as he was accused of writing an unauthorised petition to the police in respect of the said headquarters now rented out to Municipal Micro-Finance Bank allegedly belonging to the NDP former national chairman, Alhaji Habu Fari.

Afegbua had written to the police alleging vandalisation of the said property by people said to be agents of Alhaji Fari and urged the police to investigate the matter.

NDP National Chairman, Prince Chukwuani, said the party was not in crisis and disclosed that the decision to expel the party chieftain was taken by the NDP Rapid Response Committee, which he, as the chairman, had the prerogative to draft members.