APGA leadership tussle shifts to Abuja High Court

The leadership crisis rocking the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) has shifted to the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja with a suit seeking to stop Victor Oye and Edozie Njoku from parading themselves as the chairmen of the party.

The plaintiff, Jude Okoye has asked the court to declare him as the authentic chairman of the party.

Okoye is further seeking an injunction restraining both Victor Oye and Edozie Njoku from laying claim to the leadership of the party.

In the suit, the claimant equally want the court to further restrained Oye and Njoku from submitting the name of any other candidate to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) other than Chuma Umeoji as the validly nominated candiate of the party for the November 6 scheduled governorship election in Anambra state.

In the writ of summons marked CV/1167/2021, the claimant, listed Victor Oye; Edozie Njoku, All Progressive Grand Alliance; the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Inspector General of Police as defendants.

Okeke is seeking judicial backing to declare that only him and not Oye or Njoku has the power to forward the name of the Governorship candidate for APGA for the November 6 gubernatorial election having conducted the primary on 1st July 2021 which produced a member of House of Representatives Chuma Umeoji as the APGA flag bearer.

The consequence of this Suit is that whoever wins it gets to forward the valid name of the APGA candidate for the election.

Chief Victor Oye produced Prof Chukwuma Soludo as candidate for the Governorship election while Chief Edozie Njoku produced himself as the candidate of the Party while Chief Jude Okeke produced Chuma Umeoji as its Governorship candidate.

The claimant is seeking the following declarations by the court; ” a declaration that the suspension of the 1st defendant ( Victor Oye) as the National Chairman of the party at the meeting of the National Executive Committee(NEC) of the party held on June 15, 2021 is in accordance with the constitution of the party and is valid, lawful and subsisting.

A declaration that the appointment of the claimant (Jude Okeke) as the acting National Chairman of the party at the NEC meeting of the party held on June 15, 2021 is valid, lawful and in accordance with the constitution of the party.

A declaration that the suspension of the second defendant(Edozie Njoku) as a member of the party by the NEC of the party at a meeting held on June 15, 2021, is valid, lawful and in accordance with the constitution of the party.

(Daily Sun)