By Chioma Nkama
But for the timely intervention of the leadership of the All Progressive Grand Alliance, Imo State.
A surreptitious move to take over the party by some suspected politicians would have worked out.
Trumpeta learnt that some suspected political desperadoes working in concert with some legal professional designed a court matter meant to pocket APGA structure in Imo State before the plot was thwarted.
Making this known was the state chairman of the party in Imo State, Hon. John Iwuala who expressed shock in the court over the alleged actions of one Lawyer, Emeka Nwagwu. The party accused the lawyer of making unauthorized appearances on behalf of the party on the matter.
Iwuala stated that in the court of Appeal with Appeal Number CA/OW/436/2019 and Suit No: HOW/642/2019 presided over by Hon. Justice N B Ukoha the court made a ruling that all parties should maintain STATUS QUO ante bellum since it was stated that no Congress was held in Imo State Chapter of the party in 2019 as well as an injunction against officers allegedly produced at the Congress from parading themselves as such.
They (Appellants) in compliance with the ruling of the court agreed to maintain status quo but the decision didn’t go down well with Emeka Nwagwu and his group as he kept parading himself as their solicitor.
Buttressing his point further Iwuala said that in a press release signed by Ofoegbu Ralph the media assistant to the National Vice Chairman, South East on the 10th day of July stated that Hon. John Iwuala’s led caretaker committee which was set up by the National Working Committee prior to the Congress of the party in Imo State, was directed to oversee the activities of the party in compliance with the STATUS QUO ante bellum directives of the court. Therefore judging from the above, Emeka Nwagwu has no moral justification parading himself as the party’s lawyer nor solicitor on their behalf without their approval and also without a brief nor instruction given to him to file an appeal on behalf of the party nor its leadership.
It was therefore surprising to the party to hear that an appeal on their ruling has been filed at the Appeal Court sitting in Owerri with suit No: CA/OW/436/2019 when they had disassociated themselves due to the fact that they had complied with the ruling of the court. Unknown to them, the lawyer was representing them without their knowledge which he Iwuala alleged as being fraudulent and a criminal offense.
In his words “his actions showed unprofessionalism in discharge of his duty. No brief was given us and neither were we served any letter rather what we heard was that a fraudulent judgment was to be giving against us in court which made me appear in court and explained situations to them that neither I as the state party Chairman nor my party (members) knew anything about him and whatever claims he has being making should be disregarded as we are not in the know
Because of the APGA claims upon intervention, the court decided to step down from it’s already prepared judgment and the case adjourned till 15th Oct, 2020.”
The Chairman Iwuala stated that the party wants the court to look into the matter and also, the party demands that the congress which wasn’t done in accordance with the law should be cancelled and the purported Chairman and Secretary should be given an injunction to stop them from performing until the court decides on the matter.
Trumpeta further gathered that the Appeal Court case may have been initiated and pushed by a political leader who held sway in the past but has left the party.
Investigations revealed that the top rated politicians who is interested in a position wants to take over APGA structure by silencing the functionality of the executive of the party in the state.
