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Tag: APGA

  • Why I want to be APGA National Chairman – Obi-Okoye

    Why I want to be APGA National Chairman – Obi-Okoye

    Chief Ifeatu Obi-Okoye, one of the aspirants for the National Chairmanship of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) says his target is to ensure the party’s victory at the 2025 Anambra Governorship Poll.

    Obi-Okoye, a former APGA National Publicity Secretary, said this at a news conference on Wednesday in Awka, to announce his interest, ahead of the party’s state congresses.

    He said he had the passion, capacity, qualifications, innovation, and experience to recover all that was lost during the previous elections and take APGA to the next level.

    “Our party APGA needs an experience and passionate politician to confront the issues in 2025 because there will be a big political battle.

    “In 2025, APGA will be contesting with political parties such as Labour Party (LP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    “When LP finishes from the Supreme Court, its next ambition will be to capture Anambra. I also believe APC will become stronger with Sen. Bola Tinubu, the President-elect.

    “This informed my interest in the race because we must have a chairman who understands the battle front and has the capacity to plot and confront these issues,” he said.

    Obi-Okoye said he understood and was ready to complement the positive vision of Gov. Chukwuma Soludo, who doubled as the National Leader of the party for progress.

    He also promised to ensure the restoration of the party’s strengthen at the National and State Houses of Assembly as well as to make the party the largest in the country.

    “At the National Assembly, our strength dropped from five to four while at the state House of Assembly, it dropped from 24 to 16, although we are the majority but it is not palatable to us.

    “Under my watch, I will ensure that we recover all that we have lost, build strength and capacity as well as find alternative means of funding to make the party the largest in the country rather than the third, “he said.

    Obi-Okoye recommended the formation of a truth and reconciliation committee to address the internal grievances plaguing the smooth running and unity of the party to finding lasting peace.

    “What we have done wrong in the past was not to have set up this committee soon after the primaries and this has created a lot of cracks in the party.

    “In politics, you have winners and losers, such committee would create hope for those who did not win at the primaries. Crisis start if you do not create hope for losers,” he said.

  • INEC denies refusing to obey court judgement on APGA crisis

    INEC denies refusing to obey court judgement on APGA crisis

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has denied refusing to obey judgement of the Supreme Court on the national chairmanship of All Progressives Ground Alliance (APGA).

    INEC said this in a statement by its National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye in Abuja on Tuesday.

    Okoye said INEC attention had been drawn to posters and statements being circulated by an amorphous group accusing it of refusing to obey the Supreme Court judgment purportedly recognising one Chief Edozie Njoku as the authentic National Chairman of APGA.

    He said that the commission viewed the circulation of the posters and statements as cheap blackmail aimed at hoodwinking those who were not abreast with the details of the case.

    He said that the issues in question were about facts, the law and due process not amenable to hysteria and appeal to sentiments.

    He said that the suit in question started from the Jigawa High Court, initiated by one Alhaji Rabiu Aliyu against Chief Jude Okeke and three others, in which Njoku was not a party to the suit.

    “One of the reliefs sought is a “Declaration that the national officers of APGA, including the Plaintiff, who were elected at its national convention held in Owerri, Imo State on May 31, 2019 shall remain in office and discharge their respective duties for a term of four years commencing from May 31, 2021.”

    Okoye added that on June 30, 2021, the Jigawa High Court in suit No: JDU/022/2021 entered judgement in favour of the said Alhaji Rabiu Garba Aliyu.

    He recalled that on appeal, the Court of Appeal described the suit as an abuse of court process.

    “Consequently, the entire proceedings of the Jigawa State High Court in suit No. JDU/022/2021, delivered by Musa Ubale J on June 30, 2021 and the judgement delivered thereon are accordingly set aside,” he said.

    Okoye added that the Supreme Court in its judgement of Oct. 14, 2021 affirmed the decision of the Court of Appeal.

    “However, on Jan. 27, Njoku, who was never a party to any of the suits and the processes filed in the various courts approached the Supreme Court of Nigeria as an interested person/applicant.

    “Njoku filed a Motion on Notice seeking for an order of the Court to correct “typographical errors and accidental slip” in the lead judgement of the Supreme Court.

    “This was granted and the correction did not in any way affect the substance of the suit and the orders made by the Supreme Court.”

    Okoye described INEC as a law-abiding institution that would continue to give effect to the decisions, judgements and orders of the various courts in Nigeria.

    “The Courts are not helpless when they make orders, deliver judgements and make pronouncements. They also have the capacity to punish for disobedience of their orders and judgements in committal proceedings.

    “This is the process open to law abiding citizens, groups and organizations rather than resorting to cheap blackmail and using amorphous groups to malign the commission and its officials,” Okoye said.

  • Community protests against murder of Enugu APGA guber aspirant

    Community protests against murder of Enugu APGA guber aspirant

    The People of Ozalla Community in Nkanu West Local Government Area have vowed not to rest until killers of their son, Chief Dons Udeh, APGA  Gubernatorial Aspirant in Enugu State, are arrested.

    Members of the community came out in their numbers, adorned in black and carrying various placards on Wednesday in Enugu, to protest the “one murder too many.”

    Udeh was kidnapped on April 22 and his decomposing body was later found on April 26 at 9th Mile Corner, Udi Local Government Area of the state.

    In a protest letter submitted to Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Ozalla Development Union (ODU) said, “We are resolved to treat this case as a matter of great importance and with utter dispatch to avoid this case falling into the bucket of numerous unresolved murder cases.”

    The letter was signed by the President General of the union, Chief C.N.N. Nwagbara and handed over to Gov. Ugwuanyi.

    “The deceased was an accomplished statesman, a community leader and a patriot who had held several positions at the local, state and federal levels, including the Secretary General, Ozalla Development Union, President General, Ozalla Development Union.

    “He has served as State Secretary Peoples Democratic Party, Commissioner and member of Enugu State Executive Council, National Commissioner, Nigerian Communications Commission, Board member, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency and more recently, a governorship aspirant on the APGA platform in the 2023 elections.

    “He was a man who brought to bear his wealth of experience, capacity and strict sense of nation building to our own state and the nation at large.

    “He had served creditably well in all the offices he occupied to the admiration of the public. His footsteps in the democratic processes and institutions stand tall as ever,” the letter stated.

    The ODU expressed worry that such a man of high pedigree should be murdered in such a cruel manner that depicted the public execution of the medieval era.

    They added that the gruesome murder had traumatised the people and every right thinking individual.

    “Though we are aggrieved, we have decided not to take laws into our own hands, being law abiding citizens.

    “We are therefore constrained to write to your office, knowing your penchant for due process and unblemished integrity to always ensure that justice is not only done but seen to be done in any case brought before you.

    “We trust your establishment to conduct an intense forensic investigation into this dastardly act, to reveal the perpetrators behind it and bring them to book as soon as practicable.

    “This will bring succour to us and send a signal to others nursing similar criminal intents to steer clear.

    “We are more than willing and ready to cooperate with you to achieve this set objective,” it said.

    Similarly, Mr Obiora Okwuibe the convener of #JusticeforDonsUdeh, said the community was yet to heal from the kidnap of one of their traditional rulers from Ozalla Etiti to be faced with this.

    “This is one murder too many for us to swallow. We have come on our knees to beg the government to bring the perpetrators of this dastardly and heinous act to book.

    “The cases of adoption in our community are becoming alarming and we’re begging the government to come to our aid and stop this carnage,” Okwuibe said.

    Responding, Gov. Ugwuanyi expressed concern over the sad incident and assured the people of Ozalla and the entire state of his commitment to ensuring that hoodlums had no place in the state.

    The governor said late Udeh was a friend and a loyal party man; thus, his death pained him too.

    He, however, assured them of his readiness to provide the necessary support to both the community and the security agents to ensure the perpetrators were brought to book.

  • Police investigate murder of Enugu APGA chieftain

    Police investigate murder of Enugu APGA chieftain

    The Commissioner of Police in Enugu State, Ahmed Ammani, has ordered the Homicide Section of the State CID and Tactical Squads of the Command to unravel the circumstances of the murder of Mr. Dons Udeh, a Chieftain of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).

    The commissioner directed that the perpetrators of the heinous crime be fished out and brought to book within the shortest possible time.

    This is contained in a statement issued by the state’s Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Daniel Ndukwe, on Thursday in Enugu.

    According to him, the lifeless and decomposing body of the deceased, identified as a 2023 Enugu State Governorship Election Aspirant under the APGA, was found in a bush at 9th Mile Bypass in Udi Local Government Area, on April 25, at about 11:00 a.m.

    “His lifeless body was found with marks of violence, which strongly suggests that he was murdered.

    “The corpse was evacuated to the hospital, where it was confirmed dead and deposited in the mortuary for preservation and medical autopsy by Police operatives serving in 9th Mile Police Division of the Command,” he said.

    Ndukwe said that preliminary investigation indicated that the deceased was reported to have been missing since April 22 at about 4 p.m., when he left his Enugu city home in a white-coloured Toyota Highlander Jeep, with registration number: ENU 800 NX, to an undisclosed destination.

    “All efforts made to trace his whereabouts proved abortive, until his remains were found on the date and location, while  the vehicle was later found abandoned and recovered on April 26 at about 10:00 a.m., at Ngwo on Old Enugu Road.

  • Just In: Missing APGA guber aspirant found dead in Enugu

    Just In: Missing APGA guber aspirant found dead in Enugu

    A former gubernatorial aspirant during the last governorship election in Enugu State, Mr Dons Udeh has been found dead.

    Ude, who contested under the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, was declared missing a few days ago.

    Emerging reports indicate that his lifeless body was found at the 9th Mile Area of Enugu State, while his car has also been recovered.

    It is unclear whether he was a victim of kidnapping or assassination.

    Efforts to get comment from the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Enugu State Police Command, DSP Daniel Ndukwe has not been successful as at the time of filing this report as he has not responded to inquiry.

  • Drama as police arrest APGA factional chair in court premises

    Drama as police arrest APGA factional chair in court premises

    There was mild drama, on Monday, at the premises of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Bwari, Abuja, as factional Chairman, All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Edozie Njoku, was arrested by the Nigerian police.

    The arrest followed a complaint by the prosecution lawyer, CSP Ezekiel Rinamsomte, that Njoku, prior to the commencement of the criminal case filed against him, had verbally threatened him as counsel in the matter.

    He told Justice Mohammed Madugu shortly after the case was about to be adjourned. He said the complaint had already been lodged at the Bwari Divisional Police Station.

    “My lord, this morning when I came to the court, he (Njoku) saw me, waved his hand at me and said prosecutor how are you and we shook hands.

    “I did not even recognise him because there is nothing personal between me and him.

    “The next thing this man started telling me was that he was going to send calamity upon calamities upon my family; that members of my family will be dying and that he would deal with me.

    “I asked him what have I done, he said he was a very dangerous man. He said he was the reason why Director, Litigation of Supreme Court, Mr Dikko, was removed and dismissed.

    “That he was going to shake the  Nigerian Police Force; that he was the reason why the daughter of (Onyechi) Ikpeazu, SAN, died; that he was going to deal with everybody in this case.

    “And I said does it mean that this man is above the law or what is the problem,” the lawyer said.

    Rinamsomte said he decided to inform the judge so that the court could take judicial notice of what transpired between him and Njoku earlier in the morning.

    Justice Madugu, who hinted that he had already closed proceeding on the suit, however asked Njoku, who was standing in the dock with his co-defendant, on what happened.

    Responding, the APGA factional chairman admitted exchanging pleasantries with Rinamsomte earlier in the day. But he denied the allegations that he threatened the prosecutor.

    “My lord, I only said that anybody in this case, who lied against me to go to jail or send anyone to prison by telling lie, calamity will befall that person,” he said.

    Njoku said he neither mentioned anything about late Ikpeazu’s daughter nor made any such comments attributed to him by the prosecutor.

    The judge, then, jokingly said Rinamsomte should have avoided Njoku who he knew was standing trial.

    “You should have greeted him from afar,” he said.

    At the commencement of trial, the prosecutor sought to withdraw the amended charge filed against Njoku and his co-defendant, Chukwuemeka Nwoga.

    And after it was not opposed by the defence counsel, Panam Ntui, Justice Madugu, granted the prayer, and the 1st prosecution witness, Godwin Odu, the Deputy National Secretary of APGA, gave his testimony.

    The judge, consequently, adjourned the matter until April 27 for trial continuation after Ntui cross-examined the PW1.

    Njoku, in an interview with newsmen shortly after the proceeding, said Rinamsomte’s allegations against him was baseless.

    “The prosecutor made a terrible claim against me and he has already brought policemen to arrest me. That is their Option B.

    “That I said I killed Onyechi Ikpeazu’s daughter; that I said he will die, that I said I am a very dangerous man; that he has gone and brought the police to arrest me and face charges,” he said.

    He said “it looks as if their initial case against him is dead” and they were looking for another way to delay justice.

    Njoku was later released at the police station after Rinamsomte withdrew the case.

    Njoku and Nwoga were, on Nov. 28, 2022, arraigned on a 14-count criminal charge bordering on forgery, an offence which attracts imprisonment of maximum of 14 years jail term if found guilty.

    The Inspector General (I-G) of Police had accused them of forging a Supreme Court judgment and the letter-head paper of retired Justice Mary Peter-Odili.

    In the charge marked: CR/12/2022 and dated October 21, the defendants were accused of conspiring with others to forge a judgment of the Supreme Court.

    The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the entire 14-count charge.

    They were remanded at Suleja Correctional Centre and granted bail on Nov. 30, 2022.

  • APGA wins Reps seat in Ebonyi

    APGA wins Reps seat in Ebonyi

    The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has won the rerun election for Ezza North/Ishielu Federal Constituency in Ebonyi.

    The Returning Officer, Prof. Augustine Ibegbu of Alex Ekwueme University, declared APGA candidate, Joseph Nwobashi as winner, on Sunday.

    According to Ibegbu, Nwobashi won with 11,890 votes to defeat his closest rival, Mr Emmanuel Nwite of PDP, who got 11,150 votes and Mr Chinedu Oguta of Labour Party, who garnered 8,076 votes.

    Meanwhile, Chibuike Nwanchor, the state Publicity Secretary of APGA, has congratulated Nwobashi for the victory and urged party members to continue to work together.

    According to him, better days are ahead for the party.

  • Just In: Ihedioha reportedly joins APGA after dumping PDP

    Just In: Ihedioha reportedly joins APGA after dumping PDP

    Former Reps Deputy Speaker, Emeka Ihedioha has reportedly joined the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) ahead of November 2023 election in Imo State.

    Recall that key players along with “Obidients” in general were opposed to the former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives to his initial move to join Labour Party.

    Ihedioha met with heavy resistance from Obidients who practically tore him to shreds over his derogatory comment in a video which trended online.

    Supporters of Peter Obi upon getting hints of the moves by Emeka Ihedioha mobilized to resist the former Deputy Speaker; citing the betrayal from him by particularly campaigning against Labour Party and Peter Obi as well as working against them during the just-ended presidential election in the state.

    After several failed negotiations and persuasions, the embattled former lawmaker was advised to join APGA which he did.

    A source further revealed that since the resignation of Iyocha Ayu, things have not remained the same in PDP as loyalists of the embattled Chairman are now a target of the new head, Umar Iliya Damagum.

  • Bayelsa: Upset as APGA candidates defeat two PDP incumbents

    Bayelsa: Upset as APGA candidates defeat two PDP incumbents

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared Oteigbanyo George-Braah of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) as the winner of the Nembe Constituency 1 seat in the Bayelsa State House of Assembly.

    Declaring the results at the King Koko Square collation centre in Ognolomabiri, the INEC Returning Officer, Mr Okechukwu Okeke, said that George-Braah polled 2928 votes to defeat his opponent, the incumbent lawmaker, Hon. Ebi Ben-Ololo.

    Giving a further rundown of the figures of the result, Okeke announced that Hon. Ben-Ololo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who is running for a third term in office polled 2356 votes, while Kenneth Standfast of the All Progressives Congress (APC) scored 485 votes.

    Also, in Yenagoa Constituency 2, an area which is considered to be a stronghold of the PDP, Waikumo Amakoromo of the APGA polled 4971 votes to defeat his opponent, Hon. Ebiuwou Koku-Obiyai of the PDP, an incumbent lawmaker who has served two tenures already.

  • Murder: Police barred from arresting Ebonyi APGA guber candidate

    Murder: Police barred from arresting Ebonyi APGA guber candidate

    A High Court 1 in Abakaliki, has restrained the Nigerian Police Force from arresting Prof Benard Odoh, Governorship candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) over the murder of Umuezeokoha Traditional Ruler, Igboke Ewa.

    Recall that the deceased, from Omege Village, Umuezeokaoha in Ezza North Local Government Area of Ebonyi and Chairman of Ezza Traditional Rulers, was murdered at his palace on Feb. 27 by suspected assassins.

    The court also ordered the police to first do a thorough and independent investigation into the complaint.

    Justice Elvis Ngene, in his judgement on the matter in Abakaliki on Friday, restrained the police from arresting Odoh.

    According to Ngene, “I hereby direct the second and third respondents to thoroughly investigate the allegation levelled against the first respondent and others.

    “If he or they are found culpable of the alleged murder, such persons should be arrested,” he added.

    Recall also that the Police in the state had declared the APGA Governorship Candidate wanted over a petition brought against him by some members of his family.

    Counsel to Odoh, led by C. K. Okorie (SAN), challenged the jurisdiction of the court to hear the application.

    Counsel to the family of the deceased, Chinedu Igboke, told journalists that he would appeal the ruling on the matter.

    The matter was brought before the High Court by the son of the Traditional Ruler, Mr Collins Igboke, against the Gubernatorial Candidate, Odoh, Commissioner of Police, Ebonyi Command, and the Inspector General of Police.