Nwankpo appeals disqualification by ad-hoc committee
The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Anambra State Chapter, was thrown into confusion yesterday following the alleged sack of the National Chairman, Chief Victor Oye, and suspension of six other executives of the party.
National Publicity Secretary of the party, Ikechukwu Chinyere, who briefed journalists after the party’s 114th NEC meeting in Abuja, announced the name of Chief Jude Okeke as replacement for the National Chairman, as he listed other suspended members to include Chinedu Obidigwe, Hamman Ghide, Sylvester Ezeokenwa, Adamu Musa, Chief Okogbuo and Ifeanyi Mbaeri.
He said they were suspended indefinitely from the party for anti-party activities, gross misconduct and conduct capable of bringing the party’s image to disrepute, among others.
Reacting to the development, yesterday, Oye said that he remained the national chairman of the party, and directed members of the party to disregard the announcement, saying his purported sack is laughable and inconsequential.
In a telephone interview monitored in Awka, Oye said: “It has become a tradition in the party that at each electioneering period, some people would want to foment trouble to cause confusion for personal interests.
“It’s what we see in every primary election. So, no shaking. If this were in the civilised country, these people would have been arrested and jailed.”
He said there was a procedure that you have to give INEC a notice to be able to convene a National Working Committee, adding that the chairman convenes NWC.
“So, my purported removal is laughable and balderdash. These people do not exist and I am surprised that people are giving it publicity. What they did is media sack. Those people do not exist and they should be dealt with,” he noted.
MEANWHILE, one of the governorship aspirants of APGA, Nze Akachukwu Sullivan Nwankpo, who was recently disqualified alongside four others by the party’s ad-hoc governorship screening panel, has appealed against the verdict.
His appeal, according to his media spokesman, Chuma Harris, was filed before the party’ appeal committee, yesterday.
