The leadership of the Joint National Association of Persons With Disabilities, JONAPWD, Imo State chapter, is facing a serious leadership crisis as its current chairman, Dr Stanley Nwachukwu has described those who purportedly suspended him as disgruntled members.
Nwachukwu made the statement while reacting to what he described as a wicked publication and an attempt to discredit his administration.
He maintained that his purported removal fell short of the constitution of the Association.
He claimed that its embattled National President, Abdullahi Aliyu Usman was trying to remove him by all means.
“The embattled National President of our Association, Abdullahi Aliyu Usman in Abuja has no right to suspend any chapter chairman in the 36 States and the FCT.
“JONAPWD has a working constitution which never gave such right or privilege to the National President; therefore, endorsing a letter suspending me from office is a gross violation of our constitution and we can’t keep a blind eye to such impunity,” he stated.
He added that only the congress domiciled in all the states reserved the right to sack or suspend an executive member.
“In the case of our state, Imo, the Congress is composed of the 27 LGA chairmen and their secretaries, cluster heads, zonal coordinators and affiliate bodies.
“Any act of suspension outside the approval of these persons is a clear contravention of Articles 7 and 19 of our constitution,” he added.
Reacting to the allegation of keeping silent when the Government made a move to evict the members from their quarters along Okigwe Road Owerri, he maintained that the quarters belonged to the State Government and that few disabled persons living in the quarters abused the privilege.
He accused them of renting out 90% of the quarters to people who were not members of the Association.
Imo JONAPWD: My removal illegal, negates constitution – State chair, Nwachukwu
