Chekwas Okorie, Chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), has accused Anambra State Governor, Chukwuma Soludo, of spreading deceptive propaganda against the party’s National Chairman, Edozie Njoku.
Okorie urged Nigerians to caution Soludo, warning that the governor’s “campaign of lies” will not succeed.
In a recent statement, Okorie expressed concern over Soludo’s persistent interference in party matters, despite the Supreme Court’s March 23, 2023 ruling, which affirmed Njoku as the legitimately elected National Chairman. According to Okorie, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has already complied with this decision.
“These false claims that APGA was not involved in the Supreme Court suit and that Njoku was not affirmed as chairman are entirely misleading,” Okorie emphasized. He pointed out that the erroneous judgment from October 14, 2021, no longer stands in the Supreme Court’s records.
Okorie further highlighted the June 6, 2023, ruling by the FCT High Court in Bwari, which reinforced the Supreme Court’s decision, once again confirming Njoku as APGA’s National Chairman. However, despite this legal clarity, Soludo allegedly installed his Special Assistant, Sly Ezeonwuka, as the party’s chairman in an “illegal convention,” which has since been nullified by a competent court and upheld by the Court of Appeal.
Calling this situation “executive rascality,” Okorie criticized Soludo for violating his oath to uphold the constitution and the rule of law. He pointed out that for nearly 20 of APGA’s 22 years of existence, most of the party’s activities were held in Awka, Anambra State, with over 60% of the National Working Committee hailing from the state.
Okorie also noted that INEC had long neglected its duty to ensure fair representation in APGA’s leadership structure, as mandated by the Electoral Act, but the matter has finally been addressed under Njoku’s leadership.
“Nigerians who value democracy must urge Governor Soludo to allow APGA to breathe,” Okorie concluded.
