Usani was specifically accused of
working against the interest of the party by holding «illegal meetings», contrary to article 21 of the APC constitution, in order to install a new chairman that would do his bidding.
The Chairman of the Council of Elders, C.K. Tedem explaining the party's decision to suspend its National Chairman, stated that Mr. Afoko was
acting against the interest of the party, hence the suspension.
Crowden relied on long standing principles of contract law (the Canada Steamship principle) that clauses which exclude liability should be construed narrowly and
against the interests of the party seeking to rely on the clause.
By a unanimous decision at an emergency NEC meeting convened by Mr Blay on Friday, October 23, the party's leadership upheld a recommendation by the disciplinary committee that Mr Afoko be suspended for allegedly
working against the interest of the party and its flagbearer.
Ariolu Tebidapa (Delta State) and the Secretary, Akpan Ibibio (Akwa - Ibom state), the body claimed that
those against the interest of the party were behind the allegation.
The statement reads, «It is obvious, that since after the supreme court judgement that laid to rest the leadership crisis that rocked the PDP, some persons within the party in the region, are still not settled due to the role they played, in spite of the fact that the party has granted amnesty to all those who worked
against the interest of the party.
He explained that Paul Afoko was acting
against the interest of the party, hence the suspension.