From: OKEY SAMPSON, Aba
The crisis rocking the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has deepened as the acting national publicity secretary of the party, Onapuruagu Prince Ukaegbu reaffirms the support of members of the party on the leadership of Chief Martin Agbaso as national chairman.
This was even as Ukaegbu has lambasted the former chairman of the party in Imo State, Peter Ezeobi, over the statement credited to him last week where he alleged to have said that Chief Agbaso was no longer a member of the party before the Enugu High Court ruling.
Speaking in Aba, Ukaegbu said that the founding members of the party supported the ruling of the Enugu High court which affirmed Agbaso as national chairman of the party in line with the earlier decision of the NCW.
Ukaegbu advised that before making such statement, Ezeobi should have cross-checked with the APGA ward chairman of Emekuku, Owerri where Agbaso hails from and verify his facts before rushing to the press.
Ukaegbu stated that the new national chairman of APGA left the party over injustice matted out to him by the former national chairman, but returned through his Emekuku Ward which he said was the normal process.
“The former APGA chairman in Imo State, Ezeobi should know he was the reason that saw Agbaso briefly exiting APGA, so it is natural for him to make such statement that was lacking in facts, to save his neck.”
Ukaegbu was of the view that Ezeobi lacked the locus to speak on behalf of Imo APGA on the matter since he was no longer the state party chairman, stressing that his (Ezeobi’s) statement would serve no purpose.
The acting national publicity secretary of APGA said what the court did was simply to give effect to the decision of the party which sacked Victor Ike Oye and replaced him with Agbaso.
“Following the death of Ozo Nwabueze, the National Working Committee (NWC) of our great party in line with the relevant provisions of the constitution of APGA, elected Chief Agbaso as the acting national chairman pending the rectification by the NEC/convention and that is exactly what the court affirmed”.
Ukaegbu said the NWC of APGA welcomes wholeheartedly what he described as the uncommon courage exhibited by Justice A.R Ozoemena in arriving at his decision not minding whose ex was gourd.
He urged all the party members to remain calm as the new national chairman under take measures to reposition APGA.