APGA Blows Hot, Calls Factional Chairman Self-Styled Marauder

The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) says its attention has been drawn to the “latest invective and diatribe of a marauder, Edozie Njoku, who in a rather preposterous and ludicrous manner, has been shamelessly laying claim to the coveted office of the National Chairman of APGA.”

The party noted that “the said impostor has been urinating in various media outlets in his attempts at confusing the millions of our party faithful into believing the purported existence of a factional leadership in our great party.”

In a statement by the National Legal Adviser, Barr Sly Ezeokenwa, APGA said it was imperative as well as paramount that it set the records straight as it related to what it described as “the most recent antics of the self-styled marauder, especially as it concerns his cameo appearance on AIT of recent. This we do at the risk of according an undeserved response to an unstable character who can at best be described as alien to the affairs of APGA.”

The statement reads, “We wish to state for the umpteenth time that Edozie Njoku is at present neither a member nor officer of APGA, not to talk of the holder of the exalted office of the National Chairman. The officers of the party, who are occupying various positions at present as enshrined in the party’s Constitution were duly elected during the last National Convention of APGA held on May 31, 2019 at the Prof. Dora Akunyili Women Development Centre, Awka. Neither Edozie Njoku nor any of his co-travellers attended the said National Convention let alone being elected to hold any position in the National Working Committee (NWC) of APGA. The said Convention was duly monitored by a powerful delegation from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) led by the National Commissioner in charge of Election and Political Parties Monitoring, Prof. Anthony Simbine. This was in fulfilment of the constitutional role of INEC to monitor the activities of political parties as stipulated under Sections 222 to 226 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (As Amended).

“It is therefore most ludicrous and preposterous for the character, Edozie Njoku, to assert that he had approached the Federal High Court seeking an Order of Mandamus to compel INEC to issue him a letter of recognition as the National Chairman of APGA. The courts have consistently refrained from interfering in the internal affairs of political parties, let alone such prayer coming from a personality who is not a member of the party.

“One may need to remind the unstable character, Edozie Njoku, that officers of a political party are not anointed by courts but are products of National Conventions conducted in accordance with the constitution of the party. The Supreme court in the recent case of PDP vs Ali Modu Sheriff & ORS (2017) LPELR-42736 (SC) upheld the sanctity and sacrosanctcy of decisions reached at a duly convened National Convention of a political party. Such decisions, including the election of National Officers of the party, are binding on members of the party.

“Apparently, the diatribe of Edozie Njoku was occasioned by his failed judicial heist in far away Bauchi State where he had gone to use the instrumentality of the sacred temple of justice to effect a leadership change in our great party – a move which can at best be described as dead on arrival! The said Edozie Njoku and his band of urchins had surreptitiously commenced an action at the Federal High Court, Bauchi in Suit No. FHC/BAU/CS/10/2020: Edozie Njoku & ORS vs INEC, seeking an Order of Mandamus to compel INEC to accord him recognition as the National Chairman of APGA. Quite ludicrous!

“Notwithstanding the efforts of the enemies of our great party in concealing the judicial manoeuvres, the living God of APGA ensured that the judicial onslaught by Edozie Njoku did not escape the watchful eyes of the legal team of our great party. In that regard, our team of lawyers have since filed their processes and the case has already been slated for hearing on September 30, 2020.

“We urge our committed and ever-loyal members to remain calm and focused as we navigate yet another tortuous judicial odyssey, occasioned by the enemies of progress recorded by the party under the ebullient leadership of Ozonkpu Dr Victor ike Oye. Needless to assert that our confidence in the judiciary remains unwavering.

“We wish to state categorically that our great party is not and can never be a rehabilitation centre for fraudsters and insolvent entities who are looking for means and resources to sustain their inordinate and reckless lifestyles.

“It is important also to state at this juncture, that the Federal Government in recognition of the good works our National Chairman Ozonkpu Dr Victor Ike Oye has done, recently appointed him a member of the Steering Committee for the National Development Plan 2021-2025 and Nigeria Agenda 2021-2050. The Committee was duly inaugurated by President Muhammadu Buhari on September 9, 2020 in Abuja.

“We further wish to reassure our party faithful, supporters and, indeed, the general public that APGA remains firm, strong and towering under the astute leadership of its National Leader, His Excellency, Sir Willie Obiano and the National Chairman, Ozonkpu Dr. Victor Ike Oye. This has seen the party emerge as the first political party in the socio-political history of Nigeria to acquire a massive and imposing edifice as its National Secretariat in the FCT.

“Our great party, therefore, remains a veritable political platform in the development of our beloved country.”