John Alechenu

The National chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Sly Ezeokenwa, has vowed to work with likeminded stakeholders to thwart attempts by a factional chairman, Edozie Njoku and other imposters to destroy the party.

Addressing newsmen in Abuja on Thursday, Ezeokenwa said Njoku and his co-travelers ceased to be bonafide members of the party since their defections from APGA in 2007.

He explained that impostors were hell bent on destroying  APGA, ahead of next year’s Anambra State Governorship elections all in a bid to prevent  the incumbent governor, Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo from seeking a second term on its platform.

Ezeokenwa who called out the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), said the electoral umpire is working with Njoku-led faction to destroy the party ahead of the elections in Anambra State

He said: “Following the judgment of the Court of Appeal on the 24th of June, 2024, it affirmed the judgment of the Bwari High Court.

“The Court didn’t recognise Edozie Njoku as the chairman of APGA. APGA whose leadership was questioned was never joined in the suit. This is another phase and we will and the party will be better for it.

“The fact that APGA was never a party to the suit, that was why I appealed the judgment of the Court of Appeal. Njoku is an imposter and INEC has recognised him as the chairman.

“We have constituents pleaded with INEC to finish us with the Court order that recognised Njoku as the national chairman of APGA.

“The same group of people who claimed that the Supreme Court affirmed them as the leaders of the party, did everything possible to frustrate us from filing pur case. The Court of Appeal has decided that we have all the grounds to appeal. We now have grounds to appeal.

“The Court of Appeal granted us leave to appeal. Their argument is that you cannot deny us of the right to appeal since it is a leadership issue.

“As a political party, we are hopeful that the Judiciary will do the right thing and uphold the rule of law. Njoku is not a member of APGA. He left the party on his volition in 2007. We will need to start telling Nigerians the truth about the whole thing.

“Chekwas Okorie who granted a press interview on Wednesday, was expelled from APGA in 2004. We got to the Supreme Court and he lost. He went ahead to form another party. We know their game and we will beat them to it. The only interest of those fighting APGA is to bury the party.

“INEC should conveya meeting and resolve to immediately recognise me as the national chairman of APGA. After the elections in Edo, INEC should immediately meet and do the right thing.”