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Tag: APGA

  • APGA Abia guber candidate Otti alleges attempt on his life

    APGA Abia guber candidate Otti alleges attempt on his life

    THE governorship candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA)  in the last election in Abia State, Dr Alex Otti, has alleged that his life is in danger, claiming that unknown gunmen tried assassinate him.

    Speaking with journalists at his campaign office in Umuahia, Otti said the incident happened in the early hours of Friday in a private guest house in the Maitama area of Abuja.

    Otti said that he left the guest house on Thursday, shortly before the gunmen invaded the place and killed one of the policemen on duty in the premises.

    He sad, “In the early hours of this morning (Friday) I got information that a yet-to-be identified people invaded my guest house in Abuja through the back fence, cut the wire mesh and scaled through the fence and made through to where I stay.

    “One of the policemen that guard the place was shot dead and the body has been deposited in the mortuary, if I had spent the day there maybe it would have been a different story now.”

    He said that the incident happened at 2am yesterday, adding that it could have been a different story if he had spent the night at the guest house.

    Otti, who said he was not suspecting anyone or group, added that the police have stepped into the matter, even as investigation has commenced.

    The APGA flag bearer in the last election said, “There have been pockets of attempts on my life, but not to this magnitude since the election was concluded and the matter taken to the tribunal.”

  • Tribunal strikes out Enugu APGA cases for non-appearance

    Tribunal strikes out Enugu APGA cases for non-appearance

    The Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Enugu State yesterday, struck out a petition filed by Mr. Anthony Nwafor of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) for non-appearance.

    Nwafor was challenging the declaration of Mr. Chukwuemeka Ujam of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the winner of Nkanu East/West constituency in the March 28 National Assembly (NASS) elections.

    Chairman of the Tribunal, Justice Michael Edem ruled that since the petitioner did not  appear before it, the petition should be struck out.

    He awarded N20,000 in favour of the respondent.

    Reacting to the ruling, counsel to the respondent, Mrs. Justina Offiah (SAN) said she received an application by the petitioner’s counsel to withdraw the petition before the tribunal’s judgment.

    “I feel that the petitioner lost interest in the case,” Offiah said.

    Counsel to the petitioner Mr. P.M.B Onyia declined comment on the tribunal’s decision.

    In another ruling, the tribunal dismissed a petition instituted by Okwudili Ifeanyi of APGA challenging the declaration of Princess Stella Ngwu as the winner of Igboetiti/Uzouwani Federal Constituency election.

    Ifeanyi moved a motion urging the Tribunal to declare him winner of the March 28 NASS election.

    He prayed the court for an extension of time to enable him sort out some issues.

    Onyia said the petitioner failed to submit its application to the tribunal within the stipulated time of seven days.

    He argued that after an expiration of the period required by the electoral act to file an application, the Tribunal had no jurisdiction to entertain such application.

    He therefore urged the court to strike out the matter as it had become invalid.

    Justice Edem in his ruling described the request for extension of time as an ‘abuse’ of court processes.

    He said the petitioner failed to apply for a motion within the required time of the law.

    Edem dismissed the case without any cost to the petitioner.

    Counsel to the petitioner, Mr J.O. Udensi said his client’s application was thrashed based on technicalities.

    According to him, ‘I will discuss with my client on the next line of action’.

  • APGA: A new dawn?

    APGA: A new dawn?

    After his prolonged tenure in office, Chief Victor Umeh-led National Working Committee on June 6, 2015 handed over the leadership of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) to a new executive. In this report, Associate Editor, Sam Egburonu, recalls the long leadership tussle and wondered if the emergence of Chief Victor Oye-led NWC will translate to a new dawn for the party

    When he took over office from Chief Victor Umeh-led leadership on June 6th 2015, the new National Chairman of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Dr Victor Ikechukwu Oye, said he and the other members of the new leadership will take the party to a new height. Describing the party as a movement that has the backing of several people, he said the party under his watch will gear towards taking its proper place in the nation’s political space.

    But The Nation’s investigation shows that what transpired on June 6, 2015 National Convention of the party in Awka, in which Umeh handed over to Oye and former minister, Labaran Maku as National Chairman and Secretary respectively, may only be the beginning of another phase of the prolonged leadership crisis in the party. In a telephone chat with The Nation on Friday, Chief Maxi Okwu, who is still contesting the national chairmanship position of APGA with Umeh at the Supreme Court, described the June 6th convention as an exercise in futility. “The show in Awka on 6th June was an exercise in futility,” he said, adding, “it was an attempt to destroy the res, that is, the issue between Umeh and I at the Supreme Court. The issue before the court is to determine, between Okwu and Umeh, the authentic National Chairman of APGA. So, one of us cannot, when the court is yet to give its ruling, sneak out to organise a convention and to hand over APGA leadership to some elements. That arrangement is illegal and unacceptable.”

    History of long travails

    APGA, founded in 2003 began with so much promise. But a long history of leadership tussle has been blamed for what some observers described as its seeming inability to reach its visible potentials.

     As at the end of this year’s general elections, the party, which is currently on record as the third biggest political party and the second biggest opposition party in Nigeria could not add any state to Anambra, the only state it still controls the Government House. It however has four House of Representatives seats; two in Anambra State, one in Abia State and one in Taraba State.

    In the House of Assembly elections, the party won 40 seats across the country: 27 in Anambra, 11 in Abia, one in Bayelsa State and one in Taraba State.

    Although the former National Chairman of the party, Chief Victor Umeh, and his ardent supporters refer to this record as a proof that the party has come of age, critics of the party blamed prolonged leadership tussle under Umeh for what they termed the misfortunes of APGA. They insist that but for the leadership crisis, the party should have performed better.

    It is on record that for years, APGA was embroiled in a protracted leadership tussle between the founding Chairman, Chief Chekwas Okorie and Chief Umeh who took over from him in what some described as rather controversial circumstances.

    Umeh’s supporters had allegedly spearheaded Okorie’s expulsion, leading to sharp disagreements even as Umeh, who was then the National Treasurer of the party, was declared the new National Chairman by his supporters. So, for years, the two chieftains made claims to the party’s leadership. While Okorie argued that no court in the country pronounced Umeh as APGA chairman, Umeh insisted that the Supreme Court, like the other lower courts, sealed Okorie’s hopes by upholding his expulsion from the party.

    After Okorie finally left APGA and founded another national party, PPA, another leadership tussle began in APGA; this time between Umeh and Chief Maxi Okwu, who emerged the National Chairman in a convention Umeh and his supporters rejected. The matter on who, between Umeh and Okwu, is the authentic National Chairman of the party was still pending at the court when Umeh held the controversial convention and handed over to Oye.

    The implication of this development is yet to be fully decided since our searches show that the legal battle at the Supreme Court was last adjoined to October 20th 2015.

    Commenting on the effects of the leadership crisis in APGA, Chief Reagan Ufomba, former APGA’s governorship candidate in Abia State who is still in court to challenge why he was suddenly dropped for Dr. Alex Otti as the party’s gubernatorial candidate in this year’s election, said in an interview shortly before the emergence of the new NWC that what is needed to resolve the prolonged leadership crisis in the party and move it forward is the installation of a new leadership made up of people better grounded in politics.

    Arguing that the former leaders of the party were not grounded enough in politics, he said: “It can only take astute politicians to accomplish what Tinubu did with APC. Ahmed Tinubu is a very persuasive politician, a former Senator and governor, erudite activist. That was why he was able to achieve the monumental feat of making the APC a national party. Obi came in from the banking sector, just like Willy Obiano, the incumbent governor. These are people who are not well grounded in politics. It takes knowledge, local street experience, and of course determination for you to manage resources, conquer not just states, but visions, surmount obstacles, and win wars. With a change of leadership and vision, APGA will grow.

    “The moment we install a politician who understands the operating environment in any of the Southeast States, APGA will begin to grow in the zone. And for every staunch members of APGA, it is their ambition to move APGA around and take over the Southeast. But the people we have there today, as leaders of APGA, cannot do that. Who would believe that the person we thought as the leader, the person who should know what APGA means, has not reached out to any of the leadership in the states, so how do you propagate the vision of APGA? It is painful because APGA has everything to succeed. We have loyal members, the resources, and a compelling vision. But it will take someone who understands the operating environment in the Southeast to lead and do what Tinubu has done in the Southwest. Until that is done, victory will continue to elude us in APGA.

    In their reaction to the fate of the party, shortly before the convention, the South East Stakeholders of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), blamed the failure of the party in winning elections in the zone on what they described as “lack of internal democracy, autocracy and injustice that had characterized the party leadership for years.”

    The group held a meeting in Awka, Anambra State, in the office of its National Coordinator, Chief Sylvester Nwobu Alor, and released a communiqué signed by the party’s leaders in Anambra, Abia, Enugu, Ebonyi and Imo states. In the communiqué, the group said: “That the conference regrets immensely the inability of the All Progressives Grand Alliance to control Abia, Imo, Enugu, Ebonyi and full control of Anambra State because of lack of internal democracy, autocracy, and injustice which characterized the party leadership.”

    Some of the party leaders that attended the meeting include Prof F.C Dike, SAN (Imo), E.O Kalu (Abia); Emeka Chijioke (Enugu); Obi-Okafor (Anambra) and Okpara Ferguson (Ebonyi).

    APGA’s prospects

    Although Umeh and some of his supporters insist that the party has suffered some setbacks as a result the prolonged leadership crisis, they said the party has recorded some achievements.

    Acknowledging this fact, Umeh, while giving account of his stewardship in his valedictory speech, said he faced unprecedented challenge from both within and without. He rejoiced that he and his executive were not hounded out of office.

    According to him, during his tenure, the party was taken to court 46 times. “There were unconstitutional attempts to force our leadership out of office before the end of our tenure. Litigations were unleashed against our leadership for reasons that were purely selfish, but God being on our side, we won all the cases. In the last count, there were over 20 suits against us in the past 4 years.”

    Umeh however said the litigations against the party have helped to strengthen party supremacy as decided cases in which APGA was involved are now cited in the various courts of law.

    He listed times when the party was stretched to its limit to include the period when Imo state Governor Chief Rochas Okorocha attempted to “drag APGA to the merger of some political parties.”

    He continued: “Our leadership resisted the attempt and had we succumbed to the pressure, APGA wouldn’t have been here today. Solace came to the party, he said, when its governorship candidate in Anambra State, Chief Willie Obiano, won his election in 2014.

    “In the 2015 general elections, APGA fielded quality candidates for the various elections and looked set to record remarkable victories.”

    He cited the likes of Dr. Alex Otti who contested for the governorship of Abia State, Capt. Emmanuel Ihenacho for Imo, Labaran Maku for Nassarawa and Alhaji (Dr.) Sani Shinkafi of Zamfara State among others.

    In the National Assembly elections, too, Umeh said the party equally fielded capable people including himself, Dr. Ernest Ndukwe, Chief Clement Owunna, David Bourdex Onuoha, Chief Chris Nkwonta and Professor Benard Odoh. Others are Hon. ThankGod Ezeani, Mr. Ahamdi Nweke, Chief Nwabueze Okafor, Chief Willy Ezugwu and Paschal Nneji among others. But he recalled with pains that the party lost all these seats though credited with

    Fears over APGA’s future after Umeh

    Chief Victor Umeh’s supporters, who argue that he is largely responsible for the survival of the party, are already expressing fear over the fate of the party after him.

     But as soon as the new APGA National Workers Committee (NWC) took over office on June 6, the new National Chairman, Oye, dismissed fears about the future of the party, assuring party members that the new leadership will bring about reconciliation of all aggrieved members of the party. He also cautioned that APGA under his watch would not tolerate indiscipline among members.

    The former National Chairman of the party, Chief Victor Umeh, had identified indiscipline as the great challenge facing the party and urged the new National Workers Committee (NWC) to tackle it.

    As he puts it when handing over the National Secretariat of the party to the new NWC: “One of the greatest problems in our party bothers on indiscipline. The unactualised political ambition of a party member should not be the basis for launching attacks on the party leadership.”

    Charging the members to be loyal, patient and to cooperate with the new leadership while pursuing their various aspirations through and within the party he explained that “the party has made adequate provisions in section 22 of the amended APGA Constitution on Matters of Party Discipline and Indiscipline to checkmate such development”.

    New Direction:

    Shortly after his emergence in Awka, Anambra State capital as the new National Chairman of APGA, Oye told newsmen in Umuahia, Abia State capital, that the new leadership was poised to chart a new direction for the party.

    He said he would “steer APGA away from leadership crisis that had rocked the party over a long period of time and reposition if to grow in strength,” adding, “I believe in the party’s vision to grow as a geo-political party that would become a strong national party.”

    He blamed the crisis that has enveloped the party for so long on leaders, who according to him were only using the party to advance selfish political interests at the expense of party progress.

    Assuring APGA members and supporters that the party has brighter prospects, Oye said the fact that the party presently controls only one state, Anambra, would not constitute a drawback to its march to overcome other parties. “Some people see us as small but we are everywhere in Nigeria, spreading like cancer and we shall win elections any day if the rules are applied strictly,” he said.

    With Umeh and Okwu’s case still coming up on October 20th and with the possibility that Okwu may laugh last, the future of the party remains rather hanging. Some of the questions that still need to be answered is what will become of the current hopes if the apex court finally ruled that Umeh was no longer the authentic National Chairman when he organised the June 6 National Convention? Will it mean the end of APGA’s leadership crisis or the dawn of another?

  • APGA gets new executives

    … Umeh bows out

    A new national leadership has emerged in the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), thereby drawing a curtain on Victor Umeh’s 10 years leadership of the party.

    The new executive committee has Victor Oye and former Minister of Information, Labaran Maku as chairman and secretary respectively.

    They were elected and sworn into office at a national convention held last Saturday in Awka.

    Speaking while handing over the secretariat to the new executives on Wednesday, Umeh said he had every reason to thank God that his leadership was able to navigate the party out of the troubles it faced.

    While noting that his leadership won all the court cases involving it, Umeh said he would not like the political climate in the party to degenerate any further.

    He said, “We are happy to have two veteran journalists taking over as chairman and secretary

    “The exco taking over will not inherit serious litigation. We are very certain we have elected capable hands to take over from us. We are confident that they will deliver the party to greater heights

    “We are confident that with the foundation that we have laid, APGA would play very important roles in the political history of this country.”

    In his remark, Oye said the new executive committee would build the party into a strong political movement.

    He vowed that the new leadership will not tolerate any form of indiscipline in the party and would work within the tenets of the constitution.

     

     

  • ‘PDP, APGA competed to outrig each other’

    Governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abia State Dr. Ayim Nyerere has described the April 11 election as a competition of who was the best rigger between the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).

    Speaking in Abuja, Nyerere said what happened in the state was no election because the people’s will did not prevail.

    He said the election was a show of desperation by the two parties to outsmart each other in a rigging exercise.

    Nyerere said he petitioned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), asking for a cancellation

    “In an election, the wishes of the people becomes supreme; the people are allowed to express themselves in their choice of leadership, but that was absent in Abia.

    “The competition was between APGA and PDP. In most polling units, there were no result sheets and ballot boxes were snatched with impunity and they aided it.

    “What we have canvassed for is cancellation of the process in Abia State. We are not unmindful of the huge cost on the Federal Government or INEC but that is the path of honour,” Nyerere said.

  • APGA calls for cancellation of results

    The Abia State factional governorship candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Reagan Ufomba has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to nullify the results of the three council areas earlier cancelled by the returning officer.

    Chief Ufomba, who directed his supporters to vote for Gen. Muhammadu Buhari during the presidential elections because of the way the political pendulum was swinging, said Prof. Benjamin Ozumba was in canceling the results.

    Speaking with our correspondent at his country home at Umuogelle Ntigha in

    Isiala Ngwa North Local Government Area of the state, Ufomba said the results of the three council areas of Obingwa, Osisioma and Isiala Ngwa North should remain cancelled because of several electoral malpractices.

    He said there were massive rigging, illegal thumb printing of ballot papers, snatching of ballot boxes by political thugs, shooting and monetary inducement of voters, with stockfish and other materials to force them to vote against their wish.

    He said the re-run scheduled for tomorrow by INEC in some polling units in nine local government areas of the state is not enough.

    “There should be total cancellation of the entire election held in the three council areas of the state for justice to have been done,” he said.

    Chief Ufomba said: “Our party is insisting that the election results in the three council areas be canceled, as the returning officer is right in law to cancel the

    results and has no right to reverse himself.”

    He alleged that the reversal of the decision of the returning officer was as a result of the visit of the state governor, Chief Theodore Orji to the Resident Electoral Officer and the returning officer, stressing that the governor has no right to be at the collation centre.”

    Continuing, he said: “The returning officer has the right to cancel any election result, as he is the chief returning officer for the state, even if the results have been announced at the local government level.

    “The visit of the governor to the collation centre changed everything; I am sure that the returning officer must have seen something or heard something beyond his expectation which made him to reverse himself. He cannot appropriate and reprobate at the same time.”

    The APGA governorship candidate thanked the people for voting for his party despite all odds, adding that the April 25 re-run has provided an avenue for their party to win the election on a landslide, urging them to come out en masse that day to cast their votes for his party.

  • APGA wins seat in Bayelsa Assembly

    APGA wins seat in Bayelsa Assembly

    The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has won a seat in the Bayelsa State House of Assembly in Saturday’s rescheduled election in eight constituencies.

    The results of the election showed that APGA’s candidate for Kolokuma-Opokuma 2, Mr. Ebiye Tarabina, defeated the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Mr. Ongore Ebikeme.

    The Returning Officer and a senior lecturer at the Federal University, Otuoke, Dr. E. Roselyn, said Tarabina polled 3,962 votes while Ongore got 3,182 votes.

    But PDP candidates won in other seven constituencies.

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) and 12 other parties boycotted the poll after accusing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security agencies and the state government of planning to rig the election.

    The PDP now has 22 of the 24 seats in the Assembly.

    APC and APGA have one seat each in Brass 1 and Kolokuma-Opokuma 2.

  • APGA, APC: cancel Abia governorship poll

    APGA, APC: cancel Abia governorship poll

    The National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Victor Umeh, has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to cancel the governorship results in three councils – Obingwa, Osisioma and Isiala Ngwa North.

    Returning Officer Prof Benjamin Ozumba had cancelled results of the three councils, alleging malpractices and violence.

    Speaking with reporters in Umuahia, Umeh said the Returning officer, who earlier cancelled the results, was allegedly prevailed upon by top Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members to rescind his decision.

    Umeh wondered how Ozumba could generate 82, 240 votes when the same council gave President Goodluck Jonathan only 16,000 votes.

    He said results from the three councils should be cancelled.

    In the same vein, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has called for the cancellation of the elections over alleged electoral fraud.

    APC asked INEC Chairman, Prof Attahiru Jega, to investigate the alleged role of the PDP, APGA and INEC officials in the alleged malpractices.

    The party’s candidate, Chief Anyim Nyerere, made the call in Umuahia.

    Nyerere decried the high rate of ballot box snatching, shooting and other forms of violence.

  • APGA accepts Ebonyi guber results

    APGA accepts Ebonyi guber results

    The leadership of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) in Ebonyi State Wednesday said it has accepted the outcome of the last governorship and House of Assembly elections conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the state.

    The State Chairman of APGA and running mate for the APGA governorship candidate Mr. Jerry Obasi stated this in APGA.

    He said that although he had certain reservations over the conduct of the election, the party decided to accept its outcome in order to give room for change in the development of the state.

    The party chieftain who appreciated the fact that power was shifting to south senatorial district considering the victory of the PDP in the last election noted that APGA would continue to form a strong opposition base to ensure that democracy dividends get to the people of the state.

    Obasi advised the incoming administration to shun corruption practices or any act capable of ruining the economic prospect of the state.

    He said the party has not decided whether to challenge the result at the tribunal.

    “Even when I will quarrel much about the outcome of the election, there are areas where every party also faulted; the election was not perfect. However, I accept the outcome of the election and there is need for the state to forge ahead. I will continue to criticize the incoming administration; I will remain critical about issues that will not help the state.

    “I believe in social justice, equity and fair play; I advise the Governor-elect to learn from history; his main agenda should be focused on infrastructure, education among other areas he should not engage in looting the public funds but engage in meaningful development of the state.

    “He should write his name in gold through his developmental initiatives. I accept the outcome of the election and congratulate him. We have not decided to go the tribunal.”

  • Parties uncover plot to rig elections

    Parties uncover plot to rig elections

    THE All Progressives Congress (APC), Labour Party (LP) and the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) yesterday in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital, alerted to a plot by a party to rig Saturday’s elections.

    LP governorship candidate, Mr. Edward Nkwegu, alleged that the party uncovered a plan to manipulate the electors on Saturday.

    He said the National Assembly election result  was a sham, as it did not reflect the will of the people.

    “A notable party engaged in the falsification of results and manipulation of the process.

    “We will do our best to ensure that our stolen mandate is retrieved. We have compiled documentary evidence, to be forwarded to the appropriate authorities for action.”

    Nkwegu urged the electorate to be vigilant.

    Said he: “Let no one make a mistake about it. Desperate politicians are not yet through with their game. In addition to the old antics, they will come up with new tricks in their desperation for power.”

    The APGA candidate, Senator Anthony Agno, alleged that the party was aware of a plot by a party to rig on Saturday.

    According to him, APGA remained the instrument of hope for Ebonyi people, as it is the only party in the race, with a well-articulated vision and programme.

    Agno said the party would challenge the results of the National Assembly election, as it was marred by irregularities.

    The state chapter of the APC also said there were plans by a party to rig on Saturday.

    The party’s Chairman, Mr. Ben Nwaobasi, said: “We have received reports that result sheets of the April 11 elections have been sold to the party by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).”

    He enjoined security agents to investigate the matter, saying it could cause crisis.