Geoffrey Anyanwu, Awka And George Onyejiuwa, Owerri

The crisis in the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) deepened yesterday, as two factional national chairmen emerged from national conventions conducted in two states of Anambra and Imo.

While the convention held in Awka, the Anambra State capital, returned its National Chairman, Dr. Victor Oye for another four years, the other conducted in Owerri, the Imo State capital, produced the former National Vice Chairman, South, Chief Edozie Njoku, as the national chairman.

Apart from returning Dr. Oye at Awka, the faction of the party also reconstituted its Board of Trustees (BoT) with Anambra State governor, Chief Willie Obiano retained as chairman.

Other members of the BoT as read out by the National Chairman, Oye, are: Sen. Victor Umeh, Sen. Ifeanyi Ararume, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, Dame Virgy Etiaba, Dr. Mrs. Ifeyinwa Obegolu, Chief Raph Igwa, Alhaji Sani Shinkafi, Barr. Shola Oyedeji, Chief Sunday Umeoduagu, Chief Chikwe Udensi, Alhaji Habib Gajo, Chief Romanus Ezeonwuka, Chief Paul Odenigbo and Hajia Hauwa Ibrahim Funtua.

Also on the board are: Chief Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu (Jnr.), Nubunga Bako, Bar. Ahamdi Emmanuel Nweke, Gen. W.T. Gbor, Dr. Uju Okeke, Alhaji Yusuf Mohammed, Group Capt. Joe Orji, Alhaji Abubakar Chika Mohammed, Prof. David Bamgboye, Chief Anthony Enukeme, Ambassador Bianca Ojukwu, Chief Patrick Obianwu, Hon. Uche Okafor, Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu, Rt. Hon. Anayo Nebe, Hon. Ben Nwankwo and Pat Offia.

Addressing the party faithful at the convention that took place at Prof. Dora Akunyili Women Development Centre, Awka, Gov. Obiano urged them to have faith in the party and to work together for its greatness. He said: “if all of us work very hard in our various domains, APGA will overtake all the parties in any subsequent elections. And considering the peace with which we handled the congresses and now the convention, I can say with all authority that people that were duly elected were elected properly and therefore the choice of the people.”

On his part, Oye assured members that the confidence reposed in him and members of the executive by re-electing them would not be abused, as they would redouble their efforts and work with greater vigor and fervor to drive the party to a successful point. The convention also ratified the sack of some persons from the party.

In Owerri, 35 delegates from each of the 36 states of the federation and Abuja attended the party convention and elected Chief Njoku to lead the party for the next four years.

Addressing members of party shortly after his election, Njoku disclosed that the party’s convention and subsequent emergence was consequent upon the nullification of the outcome of the meeting of the National Executive Council (NEC) of the party held on May 14 in Awka, Anambra State by a court of competent jurisdiction.

The APGA factional chairman castigated Chief Victor Oye and his team for plunging the party into avoidable crisis through chains of anti-party activities, saying, “we need to apologise to all those who were misled and shortchanged before and during the last elections because we are prepared to heal the wounds. APGA is like Jesus Christ to us and we collectively resolved and agreed that the post of the national chairman must leave Anambra State for another state and with a sincere spirit of teamwork and, collectively, we shall rebuild our party. All we want is for democracy to reign in our party and we should desist from unwarranted criticism and put heads together to rebuild APGA.”