The power play in the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) took a new dimension on Wednesday as gladiators returned to the trenches with a process to expel the disputed National Chairman, Victor Umeh, his faction’s National Executive Committee (NEC) and Anambra State Executive of the party led by Mike Kwentoh.
The expulsion process that has already commenced is coming on the heels of an Awka Federal High Court order restraining Maxi Okwu, Egwuoyibo Okoye from parading themselves as State and National Chairman of the party.
It would be recalled that Okwu emerged as National Chairman in a convention held in Awka on the eve of the day Umeh obtained a stay of execution of the Enugu High Court judgment that sacked him.
Okwu’s camp of APGA has continued to canvass that the stay of execution obtained by Umeh is of no effect because a national executive has been elected, convention and congress completed before the stay was granted.
Speaking with newsmen in Awka, National Youth Leader of APGA loyal to Okwu, Ferguson Okpara contended that the court order obtained by Umeh’s faction is a ridicule on the country’s judicial system, adding that it was obtained after office hours.
Okpara further announced that Umeh and his supporters would be facing expulsion, which is on course at the moment, contending that their action was an anti-party activity in line with Section 18 of APGA constitution.
But Kwentoh, Anambra State chairman of APGA loyal to Umeh, said the planned expulsion is more of an academic exercise, adding that neither Okwu nor Egwuoyibo Okoye has the legal right to suspend any member of the party.
Kwentoh noted that the stay of execution returned Umeh as National Chairman of APGA, hence those planning the expulsion will not succeed, adding that the Federal High Court, Awka, order has further deepened their fate.
The order granted by Justice M.T Salihu upheld the prayers of the applicants, Charles Nwazojie, members of the ward, local government area and all APGA State Executive Committees in Anambra, which demanded for an order of prohibition prohibiting the 4th-6th respondents from acting in the offices in which they are not entitled to act.
Upon the grant of leave an order of interim injunction restraining the 1st-4th respondents, their associates, servants, subordinates, legal representatives, workmen, employees, agents or privies from holding out, recognise, deal or relate with the 5th -6th respondents as the APGA National Chairman and national officers, and as the Anambra State chairman and state officers of APGA, respectively, and or as members of the National Executive Committee or Anambra State Executive Committee of APGA, whether interim or caretaker in whatever name called, to avoid any breach of peace, breakdown of law and order, anarchy and bloodshed in the management of the affairs of APGA, Anambra State chapter, and in Anambra State in general, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice for order of mandamus in this suit.
The judge fixed June 25, for hearing on the hearing on notice.
0 comments:
Post a Comment