June 16, (THEWILL)- The National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Barrister Tex Okechukwu, has countered reported suspension of the party’s National Chairman, Ozonkpu Victor Ike Oye.
In a circulated statement, Okechukwu said the purported suspension of the Chairman and six other chieftains had been undertaken by people he described as “not officers or financial members” of the party and who did “not have any powers to speak on behalf of the party.”
According to him, the law enforcement agents had been alerted of the efforts to foment crisis in the party, while supporters had been urged to ignore the antics of the rabble-rousers.
In place of the purportedly suspended Oye, the party faction announced Chief Jude Okeke as Acting National Chairman.
Oye and the others had been placed on indefinite suspension purportedly for offences cited as anti-party activities, gross misconduct and conduct capable of bringing the party’s image to disrepute among others.
Journalists had been briefed of the development after the party’s 114th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting in Abuja by a factional National Publicity Secretary, Ikechukwu Chinyere.
Chinyere had said six other chieftains of the party also bagged suspensions and listed their names as: Chinedu Obidigwe, Hamman Ghide, Sylvester Ezeokenwa, Adamu Musa, Chief Okogbuo and Ifeanyi Mbaeri.
However, Barrister Okechukwu’s counter-statement read: “Our attention has been drawn to an unfortunate incident that happened today on AIT live broadcast where a band of political buccaneers and misfits gathered under the guise of NEC of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) to purportedly announce the suspension of our revered National Chairman, Ozonkpu Victor Ike Oye and some select national officers of the party.
“We wish to state without any equivocation as follows:
“1. That the so-called Jude Okeke and his cohorts are not officers or financial members of our great party and, therefore, did not have any powers to speak on behalf of the party.
“2. That there was never a time our National Chairman, Ozonkpu Victor Oye convened a NEC meeting of the party or any other meeting of the party for that matter.
“3. That in accordance with Article 13 of the constitution of APGA 2019, only the National Chairman of the party could convene meetings of NWC, NEC and National Convention; As we wrote, no such meeting had been convened.
“4. That the Supreme Court had made it expressly clear that only the National Convention of a political party could remove the National Chairman of a registered political party.
“5. That the so-called NEC meeting on AIT was a political hatchet job to create undue tension in the party and misdirect our teeming members. But it was dead on arrival.
“6. That the leadership of the party under Ozonkou Victor Oye is intact and working assiduously to deliver on its governorship primary in Anambra State scheduled for June 23, 2021.
“7. That we are determined to bring the full weight of the law to bear on mischief makers and their sponsors who are bent on causing disaffection among our members.
“8. That law enforcement agents have been placed on full alert to deal ruthlessly with anybody fomenting trouble in the party as APGA remains a peaceful, law-abiding party where peace, justice and equity prevail.
“9. We urge millions of our supporters to ignore the ranting of the rabble-rousers and go about their businesses without fear of molestation.”
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