Yobe IPAC Officials Reject Impeachment, Citing Code Violations

• Yobe IPAC Chairman Umar Jajere and Secretary-General Mustapha Gado have rejected their impeachment, declaring it invalid.
• They allege the impeachment process violated multiple sections of the IPAC Code of Conduct (2019), including quorum, proper nomination of attendees, and meeting notice.
• The council, through its Acting Secretary, announced their removal following a vote of no confidence, citing failure to consult and alleged personal use of palliatives.
• Jajere and Gado insist no formal complaint or investigation occurred, denying them due process, highlighting a significant Nigeria political party dispute.
• They urge state and national electoral bodies to recognize only them as legitimate leaders of the Yobe Inter-Party Advisory Council.

This dispute underscores the critical importance for legal practitioners advising political parties or similar organizations to ensure strict adherence to internal codes of conduct, particularly concerning procedural requirements for leadership changes, disciplinary actions, and meeting protocols like quorum and notice.

The leadership of the Yobe State Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) is currently embroiled in a significant internal dispute, as the council's Chairman, Umar Jajere, and Secretary-General, Mustapha Gado, have emphatically rejected their recent impeachment. The two officials maintain that the process leading to their removal was fundamentally flawed and therefore invalid, asserting their continued legitimacy as the recognized heads of the Yobe IPAC. This rejection comes after a statement from the council, issued on Thursday by its Acting Secretary, Habiba Umaru, announced their ouster following an emergency meeting.

The decision to remove Jajere and Gado was reportedly based on a vote of no confidence passed during a gathering held at the IPAC secretariat located on Potiskum Road in Damaturu. Accusations leveled against the duo included a failure to engage member political parties on crucial decisions and a consistent neglect of regular meetings involving both the council's executive and general assembly. Furthermore, the council alleged that the former leaders exploited the IPAC's name to secure quarterly palliatives from entities such as the North-East Development Commission and other governmental and non-governmental organizations, purportedly for their personal gain and without the knowledge or involvement of the member parties.

In their counter-statement released on Saturday, Umar Jajere and Mustapha Gado vehemently argued that the purported impeachment contravened multiple provisions of the IPAC Code of Conduct (2019), rendering the entire exercise illegitimate. They specifically highlighted critical procedural failures regarding the meeting where their removal was decided. According to the impeached officials, the gathering failed to meet the essential quorum requirement, as it did not include at least 50 percent of the membership from either the State Executive Council or the State Assembly, a stipulation clearly outlined in Sections 8(ii) and 8(iv) of the code. This lack of a proper quorum, they contend, invalidates any decisions made.

Further procedural irregularities cited by Jajere and Gado included the participation of individuals who, they claim, were not validly nominated in writing by their respective political party state chairmen, a clear violation of Sections 4.2(a) and 15 of the code. They also asserted that the meeting itself was improperly convened, lacking a written request signed by two-thirds of the members and failing to provide the chairman with the mandatory seven-day notice required under Section 8(vii). The officials underscored that the IPAC Code of Conduct 2019 explicitly details procedures for convening meetings and making decisions, and any disregard for these provisions undermines the legitimacy of the outcome.

A central point of contention for the impeached officials is the complete absence of due process in the disciplinary actions taken against them. Jajere and Gado stated that no formal complaint was ever submitted to either the Disciplinary Committee or the Political Parties Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee prior to their alleged impeachment. They further emphasized that no investigation was conducted to substantiate any wrongdoing, nor were they afforded any opportunity to respond to the allegations before the decision was announced. This disregard for established disciplinary procedures, they argue, is a fundamental breach of their rights and the council's own rules.

This dispute underscores the critical importance for legal practitioners advising political parties or similar organizations to ensure strict adherence to internal codes of conduct, particularly concerning procedural requirements for leadership changes, disciplinary actions, and meeting protocols like quorum and notice. Failure to follow established procedures can invalidate decisions and lead to protracted legal challenges, as seen with the Yobe IPAC officials' rejection of their impeachment. Jajere and Gado have warned against any individual assuming leadership based on the "illegal process" and have threatened disciplinary measures, including suspension, against members who participated in the exercise, accusing them of violating the council's Code of Conduct. They have also called upon the Yobe State Government, the State Independent Electoral Commission, the Independent National Electoral Commission, and other political stakeholders to recognize only them as the legitimate leaders of the state's council.

This case underscores the critical importance for legal practitioners advising political parties or similar organizations to ensure strict adherence to internal codes of conduct, particularly concerning procedural requirements for leadership changes, disciplinary actions, and meeting protocols like quorum and notice. Failure to follow established procedures can invalidate decisions and lead to protracted legal challenges, as seen with the Yobe IPAC officials' rejection of their impeachment.

Source: Original reporting via The PUNCH