National confab: APGA demands reinstatement of delegates

The All Progressives Grand Alliance on Friday urged the Federal Government to reinstate the party’s delegates to the National Conference.
The government on March 13 dropped the nominees submitted by the Barrister Maxi Okwu leadership of the party pending the resolution of APGA’s protracted leadership crisis.
APGA has been having leadership crisis between Chief Victor Umeh and Okwu.
Addressing newsmen in Abuja, Okwu said that the opportunity would enable the party members to contribute their quota to deepening the country’s democracy and national development.
He noted that the Federal Government had temporarily suspended APGA delegates with the understanding that the two factions would resolve their disagreements.
Okwu said that the Federal High Court in Abuja had upheld his leadership of the party.
He saidthat gave reasons for his faction to send delegates to the National Conference.
He said: “When the Federal Government invited APGA and four other political parties to nominate two candidates, we did.
“APGA, under my leadership, nominated the party’s Deputy National Chairman South, Chief Ejike Uche, and the National Secretary, Dr. Sagir Maidoya, to represent us.”
Okwu said further that Umeh became “angry that he lost the leadership of the party and the delegates he purportedly nominated to the conference, which led to the suspension of APGA’s delegates.
He said: “Appropriate action is being taken to ensure that the authentic APGA delegates as submitted by my leadership and published by government participate in this centenary National conference.
“To us, this conference is in furtherance of President Goodluck Jonathan’s transformation agenda and renegotiation of our nationhood, which will produce for the first time the people’s constitution.
“We are optimistic that government will reconsider its stand and allow our delegates to take their rightful place at the confab.
“We have confidence that it will be done shortly in compliance with the clear and unambiguous judgment of the Federal High Court that adjudicated on the APGA leadership dispute.”
Similary, Okwu confirmed that his faction was not in support of the APGA governor-elect of Anambra State, Willie Obiano.
He said: “Consequently, we will not be part of his inauguration slated for Monday, March 17.
“We recognise Dr. Chike Obidigbo as our nominated candidate in that election.”