Tunji Adedeji
A fresh leadership crisis is brewing in the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) as some members of the Imo State Working Committee of the party met in Owerri on Tuesday and suspended the state Chairman of the party, Barr. Peter Ezeobi.
Pastor Kenneth Onyenagorom, the APGA Assistant Publicity Secretary in the state, flanked by 7 other members of the Imo State Working Committee and hundreds of party stakeholder’s from 27 council areas, announced the suspension of Ezeobi at a news conference in Owerri, Imo State capital.
Onyenagorom who also announced the appointment of Dr Augustine Nwosu, a medical Practitioner as the state chairman said members of the SWC had lost confidence in the party’s chairman.
“We, therefore, want to state loud and clear that we do not have confidence in the party’s chairman”
Reading the press statement of the SWC meeting, the APGA Assistant Publicity Secretary of the party in the State, said that the party had lost confidence in Ezeobi continued leadership of the APGA.
He said, “SWC passed a vote of no confidence on the State Chairman, Barr. Ezeobi for gross misconduct, incompetence, lack of accountability, lack of consultations and turning the party to a personal affair.”
He apologized to Ndi-Imo for the disappointment and regrettable charade Ezeobi and his cohorts have perpetrated to throw up Senator Ifeanyi Araraume as the fake governorship candidate and therefore appeal to the entire people to disassociate themselves from Ezeobi and Araraume fraud.
He accused the suspended chairman of running party activities alone without the consent and approval of the party.
According to him, “Recall that you started your regime with the suspension of several Local, Government Chairmen of the party for flimsy excuses just to weaken the party. Such Local Government Chairmen include Mrs. Franca Okolie of Ideato South, Comrd. Thames Nnanna of Mbaitoli LGA, Chief Elly Eke of Ngor Okpala, Barr. Rogers Owulesd of Ahiazu Mbaise and Dr. Ben Ude, Owerri West.”
“Your refusal to allow the state financial secretary of the party, Hon. Jude Ekejiuba to record the financial transactions of the party translates to you being the receiver, dispenser and the record keeper for all financial transactions of the party.” “You have refused to account for the hundreds of millions of naira raised by the party through mandatory payment for party cards.”
“You unilaterally ordered that thirty five percent of all monies raised at any level of the party be paid to you without records. Recall that twenty six governorship aspirants paid at least one million naira each for the purchase of party cards.”
“Fifteen senatorial aspirants paid about one million naira each. Fifty eight House of Representative aspirants paid three hundred thousand per local government under their constituency, whereas over two hundred and fifty House of Assembly aspirants paid two hundred and fifty thousand naira each.”
“We are also mindful of the over fifty million naira raised by aspirants for ward tours. Over eighty million naira was raised by aspirants at the Rock View Hotel and another ten million naira at The Malt Aladimma. Additionally, between four thousand two hundred naira was paid by over a hundred thousand would be delegates. This amounts to over four hundred million naira.”
“Your anti party activities came to a climax in defiance of party guidelines to conduct congresses and elect delegates. Instead you chose harmonization of delegate list with the sole purpose of manipulating the process of electing candidates for the party. The reputation and the entire hope of the party have been dragged to the mud and the entire party tickets sold out to ARC members. Even where APGA candidates emerged”
“You have literally supported their being replaced by the ARC aspirants who have paid for the tickets.
“Having destroyed the party we all have laboured to build, the state executive committee after due consideration of your nefarious activities, your anti democratic activities and your disdain for internal democracy, therefore has decided to suspend you indefinitely.”
“This is aimed at saving the party from further despoliation, and erosion of people’s confidence in a party they are emotionally attached to because NKE A BU NKE ANYI!”
“In view of this, you are expected to hand over all properties and financial records in your possession to the State Deputy Chairman of our great party.”
In his acceptance speech, Dr Nwosu promised to do his best to reposition the party, even as expressed regret that APGA as a political party failed Imo people.
He said,” we don’t want to bring someone that’s worst than Gov. Rochas Okorocha to Imo as a governor, so we are here to safe our people and party from destruction. APGA as a party has disappointed our people but we promised not to fall short of your expectations on this mandate. We assure that every finance of our great party well be accounted well accounted for.”
Also speaking, Chief Ike C Ibe, the consensus candidate of all APGA Aspirants, who spoke on behalf of the body of gubernatorial aspirants said they are in full support of the action taken by the SWC.
His words, “I thank members of our great party for taking a stand. We joined the NWC to say no to imposition of candidate .we also wish to apologize to Imolites who are looking up to us to take them out of poverty and bad governance, for bringing them down”
