My patience running out, APGA chair warns Soludo

Gov talks tough as Appeal Court insists on Njoku

National Chairman of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Edozie Njoku, yesterday, warned Governor Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State that his patience was running out.

As the Court of Appeal insists on Njoku as the authentic chairman of the party, Soludo insists on going back to the Supreme Court for interpretation.

Njoku told the press in Abuja that there was still room for dialogue, “only if the governor makes himself available for that.”

The APGA crisis continues despite multiple court rulings in favour of Njoku.

Recently, the Sylvester Ezeokenwa faction of APGA sought a stay of execution from the Court of Appeal on a judgment that directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise Njoku as the Chairman. The court rejected their appeal, yesterday, reaffirming Njoku’s position.

The crisis in the Anambra ruling party has persisted despite several judgments by all levels of the courts of competent jurisdiction ruling in favour of the Imo-born politician.

Addressing the press, Njoku warned Soludo and his co-travellers that time was no longer on their side, insisting that it is now or never for them to embrace peace.

He said: “A narrative was created that there are some fresh facts and that the Court of Appeal was going to throw me out. They played on that narrative so strongly that if anything had happened, they would have found faults with me. They went to the media to create a narrative that there was something wrong in the clear judgment that was passed by the Court of Appeal.

“The governor is putting so much energy into INEC to remove me, but my removal from INEC is not possible because it’s based on the law. Before you can remove me from INEC, you must disprove the fact that I was a chairman elected in the Owerri Convention.”

THE Court of Appeal found merit in the applications for leave to Appeal in Application viz: CA/ABJ/PRE/ROA/723MI/2024, CA/ABJ/PRE/ROA/CV/728MI/2024 and CA/ABJ/PRE/ROA/CV/870MI/2024 filed by Ezeokenwa and APGA, who were granted leave to appeal as parties interested the judgment of the Court of Appeal delivered on June 28, 2024

In granting the appeal, the court observed that the issue in the appeal bordered on APGA leadership tussle, yet APGA as a political party and its embattled National Chairman, Ezeokenwa, a lawyer, were not joined in the appeal.

Application for stay of execution by the former National Chairman of APGA, Victor Oye, was refused on the ground that it was time-barred.

Investigation revealed that the Supreme Court was expected to clarify its judgment of October 14, 2021, and the correction made on March 24, 2023.

Reacting, APGA member loyal to Njoku, Victor Agunzi, noted that the judgment implied that the court affirmed the Supreme Court’s recognition of Njoku as National Chairman.

But Soludo, through the National Publicity of APGA, Ejimofor Opara, questioned: “Why are they afraid of going back to the Supreme Court if truly the Supreme Court declared Njoku as National Chairman? Why are they strenuously opposing applications for leave to appeal to the Supreme Court? Why are they panicky that the matter is returning to the Supreme Court? Of course, they know their game and falsehood will be exposed!”

He faulted the claim by the Njoku-led Board of Trustees (BoT) led by Chekwas Okorie and Agunzi that APGA’s leadership crisis was misrepresentation, and his interpretation of the Supreme Court’s judgment flawed.

“The lawful appeal by APGA leadership under Ezeokenwa against decisions undermining the true leadership of APGA is consistent with democratic principles.

“Soludo remains an unwavering pillar of APGA, driving progress in Anambra and cementing the party’s reputation as a force for development. Accusations of destabilising APGA are baseless and only ignore Soludo’s vast contributions to the party and state. Soludo’s commitment to APGA is unshakeable, and his leadership has been instrumental in the party’s success,” Opara said.