APGA chieftain allays fears of Soludo’s removal if Oye quits for Njoku

National Vice Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) for South-East Zone, Tony- Uche Ezekwelu, has allayed fears that Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, may be removed if Edozie Njoku’s faction of APGA is allowed to dominate the party.

Ezekwelu was reacting to contempt charges preferred against the factional National Chairman of the party, Dr. Victor Oye, for conducting ward, local and state congresses of APGA in defiance to the court order of May 10 this year that status quo be maintained.

The presiding judge has reserved ruling on the issue of jurisdiction for June 2. The charges, it was gathered, were slammed on the Oye-led APGA by Mike Ajara and Panam Ntui, counsels to petitioners, which include, APGA National Vice Chairman, South West, Otunba Camaru Ogidan, and National Welfare Officer of the party, Mustapha Rabiu, who are loyalists to Njoku’s faction.

The Guardian gathered that when the matter last came up at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Court 40 Bwari, counsel to Oye, Onyechi Ikpeazu, informed the court that they have filed Notice of Appeal to strike out the originating summons for lack of jurisdiction.

Ikpeazu, while presenting his evidence of interlocutory appeal, prayed Justice Mohammed Madugu to defer to the Appeal Court and wait for the superior court to decide on the matter, relying on previous judgments and authorities.

But countering, Ajara lamented that despite agreement reached by counsels to the parties, Oye and his loyalists went ahead to hold the said congresses, which he described as a desecration of the order of court, citing extant notable authorities to buttress his point.

The counsel to the plaintiffs prayed the court to continue with business of the day to equip defendant’s counsel with materials to proceed on appeal.
Ajara narrated how Oye, his assigns and privies have violated the court order and made mockery of sanctity, as well as reverence accorded to the court, as the temple of justice.

He further faulted Ikpeazu’s appeal process, hinting that Oye’s counsel had not formally applied to the court for remittance of court records to the Appeal Court.

The plaintiff’s counsel equally presented a copy of the letter from the office of the Chief Registrar of the FCT Court Apo, (Appeal Section), which denied not receiving any application for compilation and transmission of record of proceedings in Suit No: FCT/HC/CV/4068/2023’ to support his claims.