By peter Uzoma
A frontline contender for the 2015 Governorship election in Imo State, Chief Marfin Agbaso is claiming M20 Billion from Captain Emmanuel Iheanacho, who is also gunning for the same seat, for libel. Sued along wifh Iheanacho is an Owerri-based newspaper, Weekend Nigeria Newspoint, its publisher Newstime Publications Limited and its former acting editor, Emmanuel Iheaka.
Agbaso, who is also asking the Court to order the defendants to issue a retraction and an apology, claims that Iheanacho validated and confirmed in the publication a false story earlier carried by another Owerri based newspaper, National Gazette, that he (Agbaso) demanded Ml Billion from him (Iheanacho) in order to hand over the machinery of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) to him (Iheanacho) to actualize him dream to be governor.
It would be recalled that Agbaso had while denying ever making such demands on Iheanacho made some statements, which prompted Iheanacho to sue Agbaso and National Gazette for Ml 0 Billion in Suit No. HOW/402/2014. The suit is before Hon. Justice Ngozi Ukoha of Owerri High Court.
When the case came up last Thursday, Chijioke Emeka, a Lagos- based lawyer representing Agbaso informed the Court of Agbaso’s suit in form of a counter-claim against Iheanacho for re-publishing the libelous statement that he (Agbaso) demanded money for election tickets in APGA. The Court granted Agbaso’s application to bring the counterclaim. The case was adjourned to 6th November.
Meanwhile, the chairman of Owerri North Local Government Area Chapter of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) Hon. Evans Mbata and some of his executives have resigned to join their state leader Chief Martin Agbaso who moved to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) few days earlier.
Giving notice of their resignation to ward chairmen secretaries, women leaders and youth leaders at a meeting held at the party secretariat Ugwu Awaka on Tuesday, 30th September 2014, they cited the alleged highhandedness of the present chairman of the party and the factionalization of the party at the national level as key reasons why they have to leave for PDP.
Speaking at the meeting, the resigning LGA chairman said his conscience cannot allow him to continue in office when their state leader, Chief Martin Agbaso, who suffered to keep the party alive for years and made it what it is today is being sidelined and disrespected by persons who have recently hijacked the party and planted barrister Peter Ezeobi as state chairman.
Hon. Mbata said his decision to resign his office and membership is irrevocable because things have really gone wrong and made his continuing in the party inconvenient and unbeneficial. He recalled that he came into the party because Chief Agbaso prevailed on him to come over from PDP and help him rebuild the party. According to him, he had hoped that after rebuilding the party the leaders and members can collectively go into the 2015 election with one mind and one voice, regretting that he has become disillusioned by the activities of new entrants who did not know the history of the party and have now torn it apart.
He reminded his listeners that party membership is a voluntary thing, meaning that one can enter and leave a party at any time depending on his interests. He therefore urged those who still believe that they can manage and survive in the present APGA to please continue while he leaves.
Stunned by the said decisions, LGA party leaders present expressed their disenchantment that their able and resourceful chairman could decide to resign without first tipping them of his intentions “so that they can do something about it”. They peeped into the party’s future and wondered why the state executives are watching the party slide into problems without doing anything to arrest the situation. They also bemoaned the ugly situation now staring them in the face that their state leader Chief Martin Agbaso has left them for the PDP.
Owerri North LGA officers who announced their resignation at the meeting were Hon. Evans Mbata (Chairman), Deaconess Bridget Opara (Treasurer), Pastor Mike T. Ekeocha (Organizing Secretary), Eziada Franca osuji (Woman Leader), Chidimma Oparaocha, Lolo Celestina Okorie, Evangelist Barth Odionyemma, Ms. Obiageri Merenini, and Mrs. Nkiru Nkwopara.
Others were the secretary of the party, Ifeanyi Ikegwu, the publicity secretary, Larry Opara, and a host of other members.
Speaking after the meeting, a leader of the party under condition of anonymity said the truth of their situation is that most members are for now focusing on the primary election which is always an opportunity to make money from aspirants. He said they are all following Chief Martin Agbaso eventually to PDP but will for now remain in APGA. He said they are statutory APGA delegates and so will lose money if they leave the party before the party primaries coming up soon.
The Newspaper noticed the presence of die hard APGANs who raised their voices outside the venue of the meeting to show solidarity with the moribund Biafran cause. was told the people were mainly the Massob men in APGA. In a related development, it will be recalled that Ihenacho had earlier requested the court to allow him prove his case without Agbaso. But was compelled to withdraw the application when Agbaso entered appearance. Ihenacho however asked for a cost of 100,000 for smoking Agbaso out against the ambit of time.
Agbaso argued that he responded within time as court vacation can not be counted as part of the time frame. The court however accepted Agbaso’s submission that the time is not late to enter appearance.
