The Independent National Electoral Commission has dumped the faction of the All Progressives Grand Alliance led by the Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi, with Barrister Maxi Okwu as the national chairman.
This followed a letter written by INEC to the APGA faction led by Chief Victor Umeh, recognizing his leadership of the party.
The position of the commission was premised on the ruling by the Court of Appeal staying the execution of the judgment of the Enugu High Court that had earlier sacked Umeh.
INEC said it was obeying the court judgment.
INEC, in the letter dated May 8, 2013, signed by its Secretary, Abdullahi A. Kaugama, and copied to Jega, addressed to Umeh as APGA national chairman, reads: “The commission notes the ruling of the Court of Appeal which stayed execution of the order of the Enugu High Court that restrained Chief Sir, Victor Umeh from parading himself as the National chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).
“Consequently, the commission will continue to relate with Chief Sir, Victor Umeh as the National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).”
Umeh, who spoke with newsmen on Thursday, said: “We patiently waited on INEC because we wrote them on the 15th of April, notifying it of the ruling of the Court of Appeal Enugu Division that restored my leadership of the party. We are happy to inform you that INEC, having read the ruling of the court of Appeal, has come out with a letter addressed to me, Chief Victor Umeh, recognizing me as the national chairman of APGA. APGA does not have a factional national chairman. APGA does not have two national chairmen. APGA has only one national chairman, recognized by the party’s constitution, INEC and the courts of Nigeria.
“With this decision and upholding of the rule of law, we want to say that this development has reinvigorated APGA. Those who want to do business with APGA now know the lawful authority of APGA. Anybody, who is making any presentation anywhere in Nigeria in the name of APGA, is deluding himself, and any group of persons that are holding themselves out, claiming to be representing APGA or presenting themselves as members of APGA, engaging in dissident activities in the name of APGA are guilty of anti-party activity. They should stop destabilizing this party. This leadership of APGA has been very responsible to the acknowledgment of Nigerians.
“We want anybody who wants to be a member of APGA or who wants to do anything with APGA to subject himself or herself to this lawful leadership of APGA. We will not continue to condone this.
“APGA has never had two positions on merger. From this office, I have addressed Nigerians categorically that our party has never been part of any merger discussion in Nigeria and we started sounding this since last year. That position has not changed up till this moment. APGA will never merge with any political party. But we have continued to state that our party will be available for alliance discussion with other political parties at anytime it is necessary.
“I as a person do not support merger. Even Governor Rochas Okorocha, who has been dragging APGA’s name in this direction, cannot pretend not to be aware that I advised severally privately against it for over three months before he went to make a public statement on that.”
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