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  • Okwu: APGA will sue Okorocha, if he joins APC

    Okwu: APGA will sue Okorocha, if he joins APC

    The National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Maxi Okwu, spoke on the crisis rocking the party and the preparations for the next governorship election in Anambra State. EMMANUEL OLADESU was there.

     

    Why are you still laying claim to the chairmanship of APGA, despite the subsisting court order on the leadership tussle?

    Chief Victor Umeh did not win any appeal as people were wrongly made to believe. What he got was a stay of one of the four orders by the Court of Appeal. I wish I came with the document, I would have make a copy for you to read through. Out of the four orders that the Enugu State High Court made, only one was stayed. They stayed that aspect that restrained him from parading himself as the chairman of our party. The Court of Appeal agreed that all issues have been overtaken by events; that there was no convention. Second; that there should be a convention and that the NEC of the party should have met and ordered a convention. I think there are about four issues raised and we have done all that.

    The court never said there was non-existent convention. Every lawyer knows that you don’t stay what has been done. The deed had been done already, judgement have been executed by the NEC of the party, convened a convention in Awka and elected its national officers. Umeh’s activities against the party is an exercise in futility. One of such Umeh’s activities is the Federal High Court in Awka that granted a midnight exparte-order restraining me and my executive officers from parading ourselves as such. 14 days after, on April 15, 2013, the motion was filed, argued and granted. Days after that exercise, we file a motion to vacate the order. It has lapsed.

    Don’t you regret losing Governor Rochas Okorocha to the APC?

    It is worrisome. we advise him to rethink. The position of governor of a state is not a small thing. We would not be talking of sanction or discipline for him. We’ll wait and see whether sanity will prevail through diplomacy and behind the scene discussion. But, at the end of the day, he would decide. His issue will become a legal thing, if APC is finally registered and Okorocha collects the card. For now, by the position of the law, he is still a card-carrying member of the APGA. Politically, APGA was there before Okorocha become a governor and the party will continue to exist after him. Rochas has been with other parties in the country before he used the APGA platform. He owed this party a lot. There is a moral burden for him to carry at this juncture.

    Don’t you think that APGA should resolve its crisis before the next elections, starting from Anambra State?

    I have been trying my best to bring every aggrieved member back to the fold. A political party cannot isolate itself from crisis. As we sit here today, there are internal crises in the PDP, which are even worse than what we have in the APGA. What we suddenly realise in our party is that Chief Umeh is now like a bull in China’s shop. From his approach and activities, he wants to destroy APGA, rather than allowing the House to stand. We will not allow that to happen. We are going to ease him out. If the 26 NEC members that he leads have left him, except two or three of his cronies, he should have seen the handwriting on the wall and resigned. In a much more civilised society, Chief Umeh should have edhonourably without being ask to quit. Be that as it may, I have extended a hand of fellowship to him thrice. I have said it times without number that I will give him a landing, but he has refused to accept my hands of fellowship. Instead, he has been fighting harder. There is a limit which you can push a horse to drink. Umeh and his followers have one leg in the APC arrangment. As I am speaking to you, Chief Umeh is the Director of Publicity of ‘C 21’ group founded by Rochas Okorocha. All of them are in the APC. For instance, have you ever heard that Umeh condemned Okorocha’s romance with the yet to be registered APC? Again, when Umeh got the court order against the party, Okorocha embraced him. They are working hand in glove.

    In your own view. What do you think is energising him?

    I am aware that Umeh has tasted power for long being a chairman of APGA. He was empowered by the party’s constitution. I am also aware that a fat pocket is giving him a full backing. So, there’s a lot at stake when you are the chairman of a strong party like the APGA.

    Why is APGA kicking Umeh out when his tenure as the chairman has not expired?

    People have forgotten that Umeh started as the Acting National Chairman of the party since December 2004. Now, we are in 2013. He has been parading himself as the APGA Chairman for almost nine years. There was a time he took Chekwas to court when Chekwas said he won’t stay beyond eight years. The basic fact is that Umeh has been APGA’s Chairman for nine years uninterrupted and he still want to continue in that position. If his tenure is four years, that was renewable. By January 2007, when the convention that the court nullified was held, Umeh’s tenure has expired. He has stayed beyond his tenure. Normally, before your tenure expires as chairman, you need to conduct fresh election, but he did not do so because he cares to remain as APGA Chairman forever. Even the PDP that people have condemned on so many occasion have changed its national chairman more than once since 2004. Yet, the likes of Umeh have been throwing bricks to PDP on many issues. Whereas, here at APGA, he want to be the chairman forever. Leadership is not what you say but what you do that matter.

    INEC has written to Chief Umeh and recognised him as the authentic APGA National Chairman. What’s your reaction to this development?

    Is that so? Okay, I have not seen copy of the letter. As soon as I see it, I will react.

    Can you clarify what you said in Awka about the late Chief Nnamdi Azikiwe and Chief Odumegwu-Ojukwu?

    Late Zik was known for his Febian tactics in tackling political challenges. He was always for compromise as a consumate politician. However, I said Chief Odumegwu-Ojukwu was a man who was firm in his views and he usually knew where he stood at a particular time. Once a matter came up, Ikemba was known for taking position and remaining with such a position.

    There is a controversy about your origin. Where do you come from?

    How can anybody stand up and say that to me? I am from Orji River in Enugu State. It’s so clear, it is not arguable. My father is not a hidden person. He was a Senator, Minister and everything. I am from Achi in Enugu State. I found the insinuation laughable.

    Anambra State Governor Peter Obi has not conducted local government elections.Now, as the party chairman, would you assure that he would conduct the elections before he leaves office?

    I can assure you that the local government election will take place in Anambra State this year. The electoral commission has assured me that they will do that. The arrangement had been on ground, even before my election. The legal constraints have been removed to ensure that the council elections take place this year. Once I am involved, Governor Obi is going to give his own assurance.

     

  • Okwu: APGA will sue Okorocha, if he joins APC

    Okwu: APGA will sue Okorocha, if he joins APC

    The National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Maxi Okwu, spoke on the crisis rocking the party and the preparations for the next governorship election in Anambra State. EMMANUEL OLADESU was there.

    Why are you still laying claim to the chairmanship of APGA, despite the subsisting court order on the leadership tussle?

    Chief Victor Umeh did not win any appeal as people were wrongly made to believe. What he got was a stay of one of the four orders by the Court of Appeal. I wish I came with the document, I would have make a copy for you to read through. Out of the four orders that the Enugu State High Court made, only one was stayed. They stayed that aspect that restrained him from parading himself as the chairman of our party. The Court of Appeal agreed that all issues have been overtaken by events; that there was no convention. Second; that there should be a convention and that the NEC of the party should have met and ordered a convention. I think there are about four issues raised and we have done all that.

    The court never said there was non-existent convention. Every lawyer knows that you don’t stay what has been done. The deed had been done already, judgement have been executed by the NEC of the party, convened a convention in Awka and elected its national officers. Umeh’s activities against the party is an exercise in futility. One of such Umeh’s activities is the Federal High Court in Awka that granted a midnight exparte-order restraining me and my executive officers from parading ourselves as such. 14 days after, on April 15, 2013, the motion was filed, argued and granted. Days after that exercise, we file a motion to vacate the order. It has lapsed.

    Don’t you regret losing Governor Rochas Okorocha to the APC?

    It is worrisome. we advise him to rethink. The position of governor of a state is not a small thing. We would not be talking of sanction or discipline for him. We’ll wait and see whether sanity will prevail through diplomacy and behind the scene discussion. But, at the end of the day, he would decide. His issue will become a legal thing, if APC is finally registered and Okorocha collects the card. For now, by the position of the law, he is still a card-carrying member of the APGA. Politically, APGA was there before Okorocha become a governor and the party will continue to exist after him. Rochas has been with other parties in the country before he used the APGA platform. He owed this party a lot. There is a moral burden for him to carry at this juncture.

    Don’t you think that APGA should resolve its crisis before the next elections, starting from Anambra State?

    I have been trying my best to bring every aggrieved member back to the fold. A political party cannot isolate itself from crisis. As we sit here today, there are internal crises in the PDP, which are even worse than what we have in the APGA. What we suddenly realise in our party is that Chief Umeh is now like a bull in China’s shop. From his approach and activities, he wants to destroy APGA, rather than allowing the House to stand. We will not allow that to happen. We are going to ease him out. If the 26 NEC members that he leads have left him, except two or three of his cronies, he should have seen the handwriting on the wall and resigned. In a much more civilised society, Chief Umeh should have edhonourably without being ask to quit. Be that as it may, I have extended a hand of fellowship to him thrice. I have said it times without number that I will give him a landing, but he has refused to accept my hands of fellowship. Instead, he has been fighting harder. There is a limit which you can push a horse to drink. Umeh and his followers have one leg in the APC arrangment. As I am speaking to you, Chief Umeh is the Director of Publicity of ‘C 21’ group founded by Rochas Okorocha. All of them are in the APC. For instance, have you ever heard that Umeh condemned Okorocha’s romance with the yet to be registered APC? Again, when Umeh got the court order against the party, Okorocha embraced him. They are working hand in glove.

    In your own view. What do you think is energising him?

    I am aware that Umeh has tasted power for long being a chairman of APGA. He was empowered by the party’s constitution. I am also aware that a fat pocket is giving him a full backing. So, there’s a lot at stake when you are the chairman of a strong party like the APGA.

    Why is APGA kicking Umeh out when his tenure as the chairman has not expired?

    People have forgotten that Umeh started as the Acting National Chairman of the party since December 2004. Now, we are in 2013. He has been parading himself as the APGA Chairman for almost nine years. There was a time he took Chekwas to court when Chekwas said he won’t stay beyond eight years. The basic fact is that Umeh has been APGA’s Chairman for nine years uninterrupted and he still want to continue in that position. If his tenure is four years, that was renewable. By January 2007, when the convention that the court nullified was held, Umeh’s tenure has expired. He has stayed beyond his tenure. Normally, before your tenure expires as chairman, you need to conduct fresh election, but he did not do so because he cares to remain as APGA Chairman forever. Even the PDP that people have condemned on so many occasion have changed its national chairman more than once since 2004. Yet, the likes of Umeh have been throwing bricks to PDP on many issues. Whereas, here at APGA, he want to be the chairman forever. Leadership is not what you say but what you do that matter.

    INEC has written to Chief Umeh and recognised him as the authentic APGA National Chairman. What’s your reaction to this development?

    Is that so? Okay, I have not seen copy of the letter. As soon as I see it, I will react.

    Can you clarify what you said in Awka about the late Chief Nnamdi Azikiwe and Chief Odumegwu-Ojukwu?

    Late Zik was known for his Febian tactics in tackling political challenges. He was always for compromise as a consumate politician. However, I said Chief Odumegwu-Ojukwu was a man who was firm in his views and he usually knew where he stood at a particular time. Once a matter came up, Ikemba was known for taking position and remaining with such a position.

    There is a controversy about your origin. Where do you come from?

    How can anybody stand up and say that to me? I am from Orji River in Enugu State. It’s so clear, it is not arguable. My father is not a hidden person. He was a Senator, Minister and everything. I am from Achi in Enugu State. I found the insinuation laughable.

    Anambra State Governor Peter Obi has not conducted local government elections.Now, as the party chairman, would you assure that he would conduct the elections before he leaves office?

    I can assure you that the local government election will take place in Anambra State this year. The electoral commission has assured me that they will do that. The arrangement had been on ground, even before my election. The legal constraints have been removed to ensure that the council elections take place this year. Once I am involved, Governor Obi is going to give his own assurance.

  • Okwu’s activities are illegal, says Umeh

    Okwu’s activities are illegal, says Umeh

    How would you react to Maxi Okwu’s speech that APGA will not embraceOjukwu’s extremist approach?

    For Maxi to come out and describe our great and respected leader as an extremist, it shows the level of destruction that he is planning for APGA. Ojukwu was never an extremist. Ojukwu was a man who stood very strongly for justice; a man who stood very strongly against injustice; a man who stood against the oppression of people, a man who stood for equity and fairness, a man who stood for the rule of law and a man who stood for democracy. It is an abomination for anybody, who claims to be standing on the platform of APGA, to describe Ojukwu’s virtues as extremist.

    This is a blasphemy of the highest order. Those of us who worked with Ojukwu as our leader in APGA will not standby and watch a man who does not have any political vision to describe Ojukwu in such denigrating words. APGA is a political party that is committed to the vision which Ojukwu represented as enumerated above. APGA will continue in that direction without apology to anybody.

    Do you support party members calling for sanction against him?

    They should tender an immediate apology for this attack on Ojukwu. But for Ojukwu, Maxi probabbly wouldn’t have been alive today. He must apologise to the Igbos and announce publicly that he has nothing to do with APGA anymore. He has demonstrated that he is an enemy of APGA, an enemy of Igbo people, an enemy of the rule of law and an enemy of democracy in this country. For all these years, he has been wandering about, according to the traditional ruler of his community, Achi. He he has never achieved anything politically. Maxi Okwu was in Alliance for Democracy (AD) in Enugu State. When we registered APGA, he crossed over and had a short stint with APGA. When he was expelled alongside Chekwas Okorie, he joined the Green Party. From the Green Party, it metamorphosed to Citizens Popular Party (CPP). He was the National Chairman of the CPP from 2005 to 2013. Within this period, it never won a councillorship election anywhere in Nigeria. That is the man Governor Peter Obi has brought to kill APGA in Nigeria.

    Others say apology is not enough. Is this your position too?

    After the apology, the entire Ndigbo should sanction him. He should be ostracized for making such a statement against the Ezeigbo-Gburugburu. He deserves nothing short of that punishment for daring to denigrate our great leader, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu.

    Today, Maxi Okwu is parading himself as the National Chairman of APGA. How would you react to it?

    We will never accept this. Looking at the short stint he had in the APGA, since he was mentioned in connection with theAPGA on February 16 till date, all the activities in the purported faction they are leading, all of them have been enmeshed in illegality. There is nothing they have done that is legal. They started with an illegal national caucus that has no constitutional power to elect or appoint the interim officials for APGA. That was where Maxi Okwu first emerged and he knew that it was wrong under the provisions of the APGA Constitution.

    He participated in it and emerged as the interim national chairman. Knowing that his emergence was unconstitutional and unlawful, Maxi Okwu never wrote a letter to the Independent National Electoral Commission, describing himself as the interim national chairman of APGA. There was no correspondence between INEC and Maxi Okwu. There was no correspondence between INEC and Maxi Okwu between that period and today where he claimed to be anything. Instead, he created non-existent things in the name of APGA and on the pages of newspapers and finally deceived the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) into attending their illegal convention that was conducted by 1.00 a.m on April 8, 2013. On March 9, at Awka, they were purported to have held a meeting of state chairmen of APGA/National Executive Council meeting.

    There is no such meeting under the APGA Constitution where you have the forum of chairmen/National Executive Council meeting. At least, for the communiqué they issued. Everything about that meeting was shrouded in secrecy. The names of people who attended that purported meeting was never published. Unlike us, we have been taking advertorials, publishing names of those that attended our meetings. They hid the list of people who attended that meeting from the Nigerian public. Instead, they continued to engage in propaganda that 36 state chairmen attended the meeting. I suspected foul play and wrote the INEC requesting for a certified true copy of the list of those who attended that meeting, including the notices they gave them, because they were always publishing them in the papers. All these things we requested from INEC, we were not obliged with the certified true copy of people who attended that meeting.

    On Friday, April 5, it was announce that INEC has acceded to the request of Governor Obi’s faction to convene a convention of APGA on April 8, and they will be attending it.

    INEC never said they will attend or monitor the convention until the 5th, which was Friday. That was when the meeting was allegedly held and they agreed to send monitors to that convention. Once I got that, I sent my personal assistant to INEC immediately to obtain the certified true copy of the people who issued that notice to INEC. And on that day, it was released to him. And when we went through that list, it was discovered that 29 people signed the notice of the congresses and convention to INEC, claiming to be state chairmen of APGA. On perusal of the names printed on that attendance sheet, 24 members out of 29 were never APGA chairmen anywhere in Nigeria, up till that moment. They were not known to us. Now, we have the certified true copy of state chairmen of APGA that attended APGA NEC meeting of December 1, 2010 monitored by INEC. INEC issued a certified true copy of those people that attended that meeting. In that certified true copy, those 24 names that are unknown to us, claimed to be chairmen, giving INEC notice of congresses, even though without capacity under APGA Constitution were not on that list. So, it is all a game of illegality. You recall that, last year, Sadiq Massala announced that he had 20 signatures of the NWC members that removed me as the chairman. On verification, INEC discovered that 11 signatures were forged for which the Inspector-General of Police has charged Massala to court for forgery. This is another forgery just to do what is not right. Now, we have requested again that INEC should give us the copies of the notice given to them for the venue of this convention and the time that convention will take place.

    The Electoral Act requires you to give the notice that you will hold a meeting, state the venue of the meeting, and the time of the meeting. By the time the details come out, you will discover that they never informed INEC in writing that their convention will be taking place by 1.am on April 8. There is no political party that will give INEC the notice that they will start an event by 1 a.m INEC is a public institution and public institutions have hours prescribed under the Civil Service Rules, 8am to 4 p.m or 5 p.m as the case may be. You must start your activity within time and may be spill over late. You cannot start an activity by 1.am and then invite a public institution to be part of it on Sunday.

    The Court of Appeal ruling was perfectly in order and what the Court of Appeal did was to stay the order made against me as a consequence of the declarative decisions. The court was wrong. It cannot do that. So, if you want to go and ask for a declaration from a court, you cannot ask the court that, following that, that this thing should be done. And the Court of Appeal was very emphatic on that. And again, the grounds for staying the decision of the Enugu State High Court was bothered on jurisdiction. The Court of Appeal said that consistently, from the trial court, I raised the issue of jurisdiction.

    That the court has no jurisdiction. And in the Court of Appeal, the major grounds of my appeal bothered on jurisdiction. So, the Court of Appeal wouldn’t have allowed that judgment to continue to operate or for anybody to use it if the appeal is before me. If the Court of Appeal agrees that the trial Court has no jurisdiction, all these things they have done, they have done in vain.

     

  • Okwu: I ‘m APGA’s authentic chairman

    The newly elected national chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Maxi Okwu, has declared that he is the authentic chairman of the party.

    He dismissed the re-instatement of Chief Victor Umeh as the national chairman by the Appeal Court, Enugu, as a hoax.

    The chairman also said that Umeh’s hope of bouncing back as the chairman has been sealed.

    Okwu said that the ruling has no legal implication capable of hindering the elected national officers from performing their roles as party leaders.

    Okwu was recently elected as the APGA national chairman at a convention held in Awka, Anambra State capital.

    However, few hours after the convention, the Court of Appeal ordered for a stay of execution of the judgment of an Enugu High Court, which sacked Umeh and the members of the party’s National Working Committee on February 8.

    Okwu, who spoke with reporters at his country home, Achi, in Oji, explained that the court ruling had no effect on the newly elected executive.

    He spoke shortly after he was conferred with the chieftaincy title of “Ogbaturu Enyi,” (one that conquered a giant) by the traditional ruler of Akwunobi Kingdom, Igwe Ginger Ibeneme.

    He said before the ruling came, the High Court had ruled that the party could proceed with the convention.

    Okwu added: “Anybody who knows how the court operates will tell you that you can’t stay a declarative judgment, such as that of the Enugu High Court.

    “You also can’t stay a judgment that has already been executed. The judgment was executed as early as 8a.m on Monday and around 12 noon, some people started talking about othe rder for the stay of execution.

    “So, that ruling is an exercise in futility. Even, a first year Law student knows that you don’t stay an order that has been executed. We already have a new born baby, which is the APGA executive and it can’t be aborted again”.

    Okwu reiterated his commitment to the restructuring of the party, assuring that the next year’s governorship election would be won by the party.

    He added: “Governor Peter Obi has done so much in Anambra State. He restored sanity to the state. So, I’m optimistic that Anambra people will vote for APGA again.”

    Igwe Akwunobi had earlier urged the new APGA chairman to remain committed to the responsibility of his office.

    He said: “You have been going around in the political arena, but in this year, your own time to shine politically has come”.

    The monarch, who stressed that he was not a politician, but a father to all the politicians, irrespective of their political leanings, called for the equal treatment of the parties by the electoralcommission during the election.

    But, in a statement, the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP), Anambra State chapter, has called on the Independent National Election Commission (INEC) to investigate the conduct of the convention, alleging that the process was controversial.

    Its Secretary, Chief Willy Ezugwu, said the monitoring of the convention by INEC was confusing.

    Ezugwu, who is also a chieftain of the APGA, said that CNPP believed that the convention was an eyesore.

    He said: “We are calling on INEC Chairman Prof Attahiru Jega to investigate the fraudulent conduct of the convention and the INEC personnel that monitored the proceedings of the event between 1am to 7 a.m that Monday.

    “How did INEC itself got entangled? I doubt if Jega was given adequate notice to be part of such a deal to monitor a convention at that unholy time or is INEC no longer a public institution?”.

    Ezugwu also wondered why Gov Obi should applaud the convention and allow his cohorts to discredit the Court of Appeal ,where three judges gave a ruling for a of execution and ordered the reinstatement of the national chairman and the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party.

    He added: “I do not see any reason why Governor Obi should support the convention by applauding it and allow the Commissioner for Information and culture, Mr Joemartins Uzodike, to disregard the Appeal court judgment by describing it as judgment in futility”

    The party chieftain also called on the Inspector-General of Police to investigate the 24 impostors claiming to be state party chairmen of APGA. He said that they had erred by signing the notice of the congresses and convention.

    He cited a similar case, which is pending in the court where Mr. Sadiq Massala claimed he had the mandate of 20 NWC members to remove Chief Victor Umeh from office, but INEC later discovered that 11 signatories were impostors.

    Ezugwu advised Governor Obi to engage in activities that can assist in building APGA, instead of creating tension in the party.

    He added: “Gov Obi should refrain from destroying APGA and disobeying court judgment because he was a beneficiary of the court judgment and rule of law.”

     

     

  • Umeh, Okwu in war of words

    Umeh, Okwu in war of words

    •’Reinstatement a hoax’
    •Umeh: Awka convention a nullity

     

    Factional National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) Maxi Okwu yesterday described the court re-instatement of Victor Umeh as the party’s national chairman as a hoax.

    He insisted that the Enugu State Appeal Court ruling had no legal implication on the newly elected national officers of the party.

    Okwu was elected on Monday during a convention held in Awka, Anambra State.

    But a few hours later, the Court of Appeal ordered a stay of execution on the judgment of an Enugu High Court, which sacked Umeh and other members of the APGA National Working Committee on February 8.

    Okwu, who spoke to reporters at Achi in Oji River Local Government of Enugu State, said the ruling had no effect on the newly elected executive of the party.

    He spoke shortly after he received the title of Ogbaturu Enyi, (one that conquered a giant) from the ruler of Akwunobi kingdom, Igwe Ginger Ibeneme.

    He said before the Appeal Court ruling, the High Court order had been executed, paving the way for the convention.

    “Anyone who knows how the court operates knows that you can’t stay a declarative judgment, such as that of the Enugu High Court.

    “You also can’t stay a judgment that has been executed. The judgment was executed as early as 8am on Monday and around noon, some people started talking about order for a stay of execution.

    “So, that ruling is an exercise in futility; even a first- year law student knows that you don’t stay an order that has been executed.

    “We have a new baby, which is the APGA executive and it can’t be aborted again,” Okwu stated.

    He said he was committed to re-positioning and restructuring the party.

    “ Next year’s governorship election in Anambra State is one the party would win convincingly.

    “Governor Peter Obi has done so much in Anambra State.

    “He restored sanity to the state, so I’m optimistic that Anambra people would vote for APGA again.”

    Embattled APGA National Chairman Victor Umeh has described the party convention held by the Governor Peter Obi-led group as a nullity.

    Umeh, flanked by the Board of Trustees (BOT) Chairman Emeka Ojukwu (Jr), among other loyalists, visited the tomb of the party leader, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu.

    Umeh said APGA has never conducted any convention in the night, arguing that those who converged on the Women Development Centre, Awka, that Sunday night/Monday morning performed rituals and not a convention.

    “The purported convention by Obi and others was a non-event.

    Those perpetuating injustice against APGA have failed, they have no alternative than retaining me”, he said.

    Speaking on the Enugu Appeal court judgment, Umeh said: “I am dedicating the victory to our late party leader. We are his political representatives. We have come to pray at his tomb, to inform him about the victory.

    “I told him I am back and assured him we are working with him. We invoked his spirit for guidance. I am working with his son, Emeka. People are spreading propaganda that they are for Ojukwu, but they are sabotaging his name.”

    The factional National Chairman also debunked insinuations that Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha has left APGA, insisting that the governor is a strong member of the party.

    “Okorocha is still a member of APGA. He is a governor produced by APGA. Okorocha said they are talking about merger. For now, Okorocha is an APGA member and enjoys all right of APGA”.

     

     

  • Maxi Okwu elected APGA chairman

    •Obi calls for resolution of crisis

    The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) got a new leader yesterday.

    Maxi Okwu was elected national chairman at the party’s national convention held at the Women Development Centre, Awka, the Anambra State capital.

    But the Appeal Court in Enugu, also yesterday, upheld the election of the embattled National Chairman, Victor Umeh, by granting him a stay of execution.

    Okwu scored 764 votes to defeat his only challenger, Joe-Martins Uzodike, the Anambra State Commissioner for Information and Culture, who scored 91.

    The results were announced by the Convention’s Electoral Returning Officer, Larry Nwosu.

    Former Deputy Governors Chinedu Emeka and Okey Udeh were the collation officers.

    Other national officers elected included Chris Ejike Uche (Deputy National Chairman, South); Sadeeq Massala (Deputy National Chairman North); Sagir Maidoya (National Secretary); Bernard Akoma (National Publicity Secretary); Alex Ejesieme (National Legal Adviser) and Ferguson Okpara National Youth Leader).

    National Protem Chairman Isa Arzuka Jega presided over the Convention.

    The National Vice-Chairman (Southwest), Deputy National Financial Secretary and National Woman Leader were not elected at the convention, which was attended by 875 delegates.

    Okwu, reacting to the court ruling, said the judgment was ridiculous.

    “I do not know what the justices considered, but it is an elementary law that injunction and stay do not lay against a completed act.

    “How can a relief granted around 12:30pm affect an act completed by 8:30am?” he asked.

    A six-man delegate from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), led by the Deputy Director, Public Affairs, Victor Agbonwaneten, monitored the convention.

    Also in attendance was the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Prof Chukwuemeka Onubuogu.

    The National Deputy Leader, who is also Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi, praised party members for their orderly conduct during the convention.

    He urged the party leadership to embrace peace and reconciliation with all aggrieved members.

    Obi urged them not to visit the past but to work for the growth of the party.

    The governor assured that the party would remain in the Government House, Awka, in the forthcoming governorship election.

    “We have to focus on tomorrow. We have to do so with reconciliation, we have to do so with love.

    “Don’t let people think that some have been left behind.

    “We will bring those left behind back so we can build a great future because our future is important.

    “We are not going to leave anybody behind,” the governor said.

    Okwu, in his acceptance speech, thanked delegates and party faithful for the confidence reposed in him.

    He pledged that his priority is to reconcile all aggrieved party members and build APGA as the core political party in Nigeria.

    The chairman called on Umeh to join in re-building the party.

    “I believe that somewhere down the line Victor (Umeh) will find peace with us.

    “I am extending a hand of comradeship to him and I believe he will bury the hatchet and come back. I will give him a soft landing.”