APGA is not a negotiation platform for political jobbers, says Njoku

The National Chairman of the opposition All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Edozie Njoku says a run-off in the 2023 presidential poll should not be ruled out among the frontline candidates.

Speaking to reporters in Abuja, he remarked that his position had been reinforced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to print additional ballot papers in anticipation of such eventuality.

The APGA chief who called on party faithful to rally around behind the party candidates vying for various elective seats across the country expressed optimism that the presidential candidate of the party Prof Peter Umeadi would put up a good performance in the poll.

Njoku assured that APGA under his leadership would rather engage Nigerians on issues of national importance than be a negotiating tool in the hands of those bent on satisfying their selfish interests.

Said he:” Some of them want to negotiate with the PDP. I am not the negotiating type. APGA would look at Nigeria and know how to engage properly. This election might not be what you expect, it might come to be a run-off. We will engage for our people for the best.”

Flanked by members of the national working committee (NWC) of the party, he distanced the party from the recent position by Governor Charles Soludo that the presidential candidate of the labour party (LP) would not make any headway in the presidential poll.

He called on those hobnobbing with the factional chairman of the party, Chief Victor Oye to desist from doing so as it would be in their best interest to join hands with him to move the party forward.

Njoku who spoke shortly was granted bail by an Abuja High court based on self-recognition also extended the olive branch to Governor Charles Soludo of Anambra state who he said is fully aware of his status as the national chairman of the party.

He stressed that the issue relating to his claim to the seat of the chairmanship of APGA remains indisputable based on his election at the national convention of the party held in Owerri, Imo state.

Stressing the need for the entrenchment of the rule of law in the country, he said it was unimaginable that he would indulge in the unwholesome act of forging the judgement of the Supreme Court to score political goals.

He said the decision by the retired supreme court justice Mary Odili to wade into the issue relating to the allegation levelled against him spoke volumes of innocence over his alleged complicity in the forgery of a judgment of the Supreme Court.

Edozie alongside the factional National Youth Leader of the party, Chukwuemeka Nwoga, was remanded at the Suleja Correctional Centre on Monday on the orders of Justice Mohammed Madugu.

The duo were accused of forging the judgment of the Supreme Court to parade themselves as National Chairman and National Youth Leader of the party, an allegation they denied.