Geoffrey Anyanwu, Awka and George Onyejiuwa, Owerri
The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), yesterday, dissolved its Board of Trustees (BoT), ahead of the May 31 national convention.
The dissolved BoT had Anambra State Governor, Chief Willie Obiano as chairman. It also had Victor Umeh and widow of former leader of the party, Ambassador Bianca Ojukwu, as members.
National Secretary of APGA, Labaran Maku, who read out the resolution, said the decision was reached during the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting in Awka, following the expiration of the four year term of the Board.
Daily Sun gathered that new BoT members were to be nominated ahead of its national convention for ratification.
The NEC resolution also ratified the party’s national convention to be held in Awka, on May 31.
NEC fixed ward and lo- cal government congresses to hold on May 19 and 21 respectively, while state and zonal congresses would hold on May 23.
It was also resolved that the party retained its earlier zoning formula for the distribution of national offices, while members who took the party to court without exhausting internal mechanisms were expelled.
Addressing the NEC earlier, Governor Obiano pledged the readiness of the party’s National Assembly members-elect to support the Federal Government in achieving its development agenda. National Chairman of party, Chief Victor Oye commended the members for their zeal to transform the party, and party faithful to ensure that the forthcoming congresses and national convention were successful.
Meanwhile, an aspirant for national chairmanship of APGA, Onwuka Ukwa, has alleged truncation of the visions and ideals of the party.
He said it was unfortunate that majority of members now see the leadership of the party as an assemblage of touts, who are just there to extort money from aspirants each election year.
Ukwa, a founding member and former member of the BoT said it is a shame that APGA has remained a one-state party since 2003 because its leaders have woe- fully failed to build strong political structure across the South East. He spoke in Owerri, Imo State, as part of his nationwide tour to solicit votes of party members.
“It is true that we have a serious leadership crisis in APGA and as an active foundation member of the party, who knows the root of the crisis, I am interested to reconcile all aggrieved parties. I appeal to such embattled party members to sheathe their swords and allow the sleeping dog to lie in the interest of our party. I am prepared to explore all avenues to restore peace in our party and this is not difficult for me to achieve.
“I know we have many members who feel bad and I appeal to such members to calm down because at the end of the day, we will look at their grievances dispassionately and ensure that justice prevails.”
He boasted that APGA would soon build a viable platform upon which all existing political parties would rely on, saying “we have dis- covered that all the existing political parties lack sufficient democratic ethos that will propel the entire political process into building a democratic nation.”