Imo APC crisis deepens

George Onyejiuwa, Owerri

The crisis rocking Imo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress deepened, yesterday, when factional Chairman, installed by Governor Rochas Okorocha, Mr. Chris Oguoma, refused to vacate the state secretariat of the party.

From George Onyejiuwa, Owerri

The crisis rocking Imo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress deepened, yesterday, when factional Chairman, installed by Governor Rochas Okorocha, Mr. Chris Oguoma, refused to vacate the state secretariat of the party.

National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun swore in Dr. Hilary Eke as the substantive chairman of the party in Abuja, on Monday.

This was even as Oguoma claimed to be the authentic chairman of the party in Imo, and stressed that both Oyegun and Eke risked being sent to jail for allegedly disobeying an order of a Federal High Court which had issued an interim order urging status quo to remain.

Oguoma told Daily Sun at the party’s secretariat, yesterday, that he is the acting chairman and that his group would be approaching the court to urge it to commit Eke to jail, for a contemptuous activity.
“On May 18,an interim injunction restraining APC from conducting congresses in Imo state was issued by Owerri Federal High Court.

“It ruled that status quo should remain. That is the reason I am still the acting party chairman.
“What happened in Abuja on Monday, where Hilary Eke was sworn in, was clear violation of an order of the court. Eke should be responsible for whatever happens to him.”

He added that the next adjourned date is June 22 “but we will not be waiting till that date. We will be going to court for contempt. The swearing in was illegal. I will remain on seat as the acting chairman until the order is vacated.”

The factional chairman pointed out that neither Oyegun nor the party’s National Working Committee had the power to determine who should be the chairman of the party in the state.

However, he also denied the allegation that thugs loyal to his faction had set the secretariat ablaze in order for him to gain access into the building.

“As of the time the secretariat was set ablaze, Hilary Eke was still the chairman of the party. A day before the this secretariat was set ablaze, Eke was in this office and since after the secretariat was set ablaze nobody has seen Hilary Ekeh. For now I am the only authentic chairman in the state and APC is the ruling party and there is not wrong if I have the backing of the state Governor”

National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun swore in Dr. Hilary Eke as the substantive chairman of the party in Abuja, on Monday.

This was even as Oguoma claimed to be the authentic chairman of the party in Imo, and stressed that both Oyegun and Eke risked being sent to jail for allegedly disobeying an order of a Federal High Court which had issued an interim order urging status quo to remain.
Oguoma told Daily Sun at the party’s secretariat, yesterday, that he is the acting chairman and that his group would be approaching the court to urge it to commit Eke to jail, for a contemptuous activity.

“On May 18,an interim injunction restraining APC from conducting congresses in Imo state was issued by Owerri Federal High Court.

“It ruled that status quo should remain. That is the reason I am still the acting party chairman.
“What happened in Abuja on Monday, where Hilary Eke was sworn in, was clear violation of an order of the court. Eke should be responsible for whatever happens to him.”

He added that the next adjourned date is June 22 “but we will not be waiting till that date. We will be going to court for contempt. The swearing in was illegal. I will remain on seat as the acting chairman until the order is vacated.”

The factional chairman pointed out that neither Oyegun nor the party’s National Working Committee had the power to determine who should be the chairman of the party in the state.

However, he also denied the allegation that thugs loyal to his faction had set the secretariat ablaze in order for him to gain access into the building.

“As of the time the secretariat was set ablaze, Hilary Eke was still the chairman of the party. A day before the this secretariat was set ablaze, Eke was in this office and since after the secretariat was set ablaze nobody has seen Hilary Ekeh. For now I am the only authentic chairman in the state and APC is the ruling party and there is not wrong if I have the backing of the state Governor”