The Appeal Court judgment confirming Chief Victor Umeh and members of his executive as leaders of the All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, is leaving devastating effects on the fortune of a frontline governorship candidate of the party in Imo state, Capt Emma Ihenacho.
Appeal Court on Wednesday ratified the leadership crisis by confirming Umeh and Umaru Shinkafi as chairman of the party even as the Maxi Okwu’s faction has not only threatened to go to court for stay of execution but also head to Supreme Court to challenge the judgment.
Trumpeta reliably gathered that the announcement that Okwu’s faction lost the case did not go down well with the campaign organization of Capt Ihenacho called CICO. Despite the fact that the campaign team of the oil and gas mogul has not show partisan interest in any of the contending groups, victory tilting towards Umeh’s executive is an ominous sign to CICO campaign as another prominent rival in the governorship race, Chief Martin Agbaso enjoys robust relationship with the latest victorious executive members.
Ihenacho who joined APGA from PDP is said not to have developed enough stronghold to align with any of the warring factions unlike Agbaso that has rosy affair with Umeh led executives. It was learnt that the Maxi Okwu group are not also comfortable with Agbaso who the accuse alongside Umeh of trying to hold the party to the jugular and pocket it as if it their private colony. The group is said to be disposed to Ihenacho another governorship candidate, than Agbaso. This fact threw up Ihenacho as the defacto choice of the Okwu group should be recognized as the authentic party executive members of APGA.
On realizing that the Okwu faction are showing indifferent attitude to his ambition, Agbaso is also said to have maintained the Umeh structure at the home front and went ahead to patronize the Imo state executive members of the party loyal to Umeh.
With the recent Appeal Court judgment affirming Umeh’s leadership, Agbaso is said to have upper hand in APGA in the state and even beyond, thereby shutting out Ihenacho from the race.
This worrisome development is disturbing members of Ihenacho camp who are said to be in grief based on the fact that the Umeh leadership may favour its ally in the state, Chief Agbaso during the party’s Governorship primaries.
Though, Capt Ihenacho Campaign Organization, CICO, are yet to make any official statement to the press over the Appeal Court judgment, but feelers are that the outcome of the court did not go down well with them forcing the group to keep sealed mouths.
Meanwhile, Trumpeta learnt that it was jubilation galore for Agbaso and lieutenants who expressed joy that the court has returned Umeh’s mandate. Sources close to the campaign organization of Agbaso fondly called “Odiudo Owerri” indicate that the latest court verdict is an act of God to show that Agbaso is within spotting distance to grabbing APGA ticket for 2015 governorship election in Imo. Remarkably, Agbaso was also spotted with Umeh savouring the Appeal Court victory.
However, it is not yet Uhuru for Umeh and Agabaso as the Okwu group has declared intention to file for stay of execution and challenge the Appeal Court decision in Supreme Court.
Speaking to Trumpeta on phone after the judgment, APGA National Chairman South, Chief Chris Ejike Uche (Dimkpa Asaa) disclosed that the Okwu group is on their way to Supreme Court adding that the judgment is travesty of justice that should not go unchallenged since it is anti-democracy.
According Umeh, “we shall not only ask for stay of executive in court but also move ahead to supreme because there is move than the eye can see in the whole arrangement”.
In a related development, the leadership of APGA Unity Forum has declared that the recent Appeal Court victory of Chief Victor Umeh’s led All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) national executive is a victory for the party, (APGA Democracy and not for any individual as they declare “no victor no vanquish” in the spirit of “Be Your Brothers Keeper” .
In a statement signed by Hon Tony Mgbahurike, Chief C.I Duruaku, Hon John Iwuala, Chief Austin Ibe and John Nwokorie, dated 19th June 2014, and made available to Trumpeta which read in parts “judgment on the lingering leadership crisis in the party, will return permanent peace to APGA and dislodge all forms of litigation? The statement also urge “all to sheath, their swords and put their differences aside, stop further litigation, shame critics and think APGA first as the judgment must be seen as a victory for democracy generally and APGA in particular”.
However in their different explanations, the Forum leaders maintained that the leaders and their followers has no other option than to embrace peace as a factionalized party do not and can not win any election.
They revealed that both the leaders and their followers are already tired of the disunity and lingering crisis and litigations in their people oriented party APGA and are ready to forge ahead as one family in peace, unity and justice.
