The intrigues in the leadership tussle in the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) notched up on Thursday as the Independent National Electoral Commission recognised Chief Victor Umeh as the party’s National Chairman.
INEC recognition of Umeh according to a letter signed by its secretary, Abdullahi A. Kaugama, was predicated on the Court of Appeal ruling which stopped an earlier ruling of the Enugu High Court that had sacked him.
APGA has been caught in the web of a leadership crisis resulting in a crack in the party. While, Maxi Okwu, supported by the Anambra State governor, Mr. Peter Obi, lead a faction of the party, Chief Victor Umeh, heads another.
The letter by INEC dated 8th May, 2013, which was addressed to Umeh said “the commission notes the ruling of the Court of Appeal which stayed execution of the order of the Enugu High Court that restrained Chief Sir, Victor Umeh from parading himself as the National chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).
“Consequently, the commission will continue to relate with Chief Sir, Victor Umeh as the National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).”
But a jubilant, Umeh at a press conference said the recognition given to him by INEC has ended speculation that the party is factionalised.
He said “we patiently waited on INEC because we wrote them on the 15 of April, notifying it of the ruling of the Court of Appeal Enugu Division that restored my leadership of the party. We are happy to inform you that INEC, having read the ruling of the court of Appeal, has come out with a letter addressed to me, chief Victor Umeh, recognizing me as the national chairman of APGA. APGA does not have a factional national chairman, APGA does not have two national chairmen.
APGA has only one national chairman, recognized by the party constitution, INEC and the courts of Nigeria.
“With this decision and upholding of the rule of law, we want to say that this development has reinvigorated APGA. Those who want to do business with APGA, now know the lawful authority of APGA. Anybody who is making any prevention anywhere in Nigeria in the name of APGA, is deluding himself, and any group of persons that are holding themselves out claiming to be representing APGA or presenting themselves as members of APGA, engaging in decedent activities in the name of APGA are guilty of anti-party activity. They should stop destabilizing this party, this leadership of APGA has been very responsible to the acknowledgment of Nigerians.
“We want anybody who wants to be a member of APGA or who wants to do anything with APGA to subject himself or herself to this lawful leadership of APGA. We will not continue to condone this”.
Umeh further dispelled insinuations that APGA is part of the All Progressive Congress (APC) merger.
He said he had at several occasions told the Imo State governor, Rochas Okorocha not to drag APGA into the merger arrangement.
He however stressed that APGA is ready to go into alliance with any other political party.
“APGA has never had two positions on merger. From this office, I have addressed Nigerians categorically that our party has never been part of any merger discussion in Nigeria and we started sounding this since last year, that position has not changed up till this moment, APGA will never merged with any political party. But we have continue to state that our party will be available for alliance discussion with other political parties at anytime it is necessary.
“I as a person do not support merger even Governor Rochas Okorocha who has been dragging APGA name in this direction, cannot pretend not to be aware that I advised severally privately against it for over three months before he went to make a public statement on that.”