Governor Aliyu Wamakko of Sokoto State in Nigeria’s North-West, who was suspended late yesterday by the country’s ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), suffered the fate due to his disregard for the party leadership, the PDP’s National Working Committee (NWC)has explained.

Explaining why it brought down the hammer on Dr. Wamakko, the party organ said in a statement signed by PDP National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh: “The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)at its 338th meeting held on Wednesday, June 5, 2013, extensively discussed the state of the party across the nation and its members as well as the repeated breaches and disregard to the Party’s Constitution by the Executive Governor of Sokoto State,Dr. Aliyu Wamakko.

“The NWC notes that on several occasions, Governor Wamakko had ignored invitations and lawful directives of the NWC in this regard and has continued to show complete apathy to the affairs of the party and contempt to an organ of the party.”

Metuh said that upon Wamakko’s refusal to honour yet another invitation by the NWC to appear before it in Abuja, the Nigerian capital, yesterday without any reason, “the Committee, in exercise of the powers conferred by Articles 57 (3), 57 (7), 58. 1(c ), (h), (f) and 59 (1), (2), suspends the Executive Governor of Sokoto State, Dr. Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko as a member of the party and refers the matter to the appropriate disciplinary committee of the party.”

Metuh said the action, which came exactly nine days after Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State suffered the same fate on May 27, was taken “in furtherance of the determination of the leadership of the party to enforce discipline at all levels within the party.”

•Photo shows Governor Wamakko.