Controversy Trails Imo APGA Leadership

The leadership of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in Imo State, under which Gov. Rochas Okorocha won the April 26, 2011 governorship election is currently faced with controversy.

A 15-member “Interim Executive Committee” of a faction of the party led by Mr Udo Aguoha was inaugurated in Owerri last week by APGA’s National Deputy Chairman Frank Ojiaho.

But in two different statements issued in Owerri, the state Chairman Prince Cletus Nwaka said that the emergence of the new executive was illegal.

Nwaka said that he was still the authentic state chairman of the party.

One of the statements, issued  in Owerri was addressed to the Imo Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) while the other was tagged “press release”.

Nwaka claimed in the documents that the entire members of the said new executive were not registered with the party in Imo, accusing Okorocha as the mastermind of the development.

The press release read: “There is no constitutionally recognised body known as the ‘National Stakeholders of APGA which can make far-reaching decisions for the party.

“The recognised organs of the party that can make decisions for the party are National Working Committee, National Executive Committee and National Convention.

“Here in Imo State the APGA structure under the leadership of Prince C.C. Nwaka as the chairman and Ochudo Martin Agbaso as the leader has been strong, virile and indefatigable at all levels.

“Martin is the immediate elder brother of the deputy Governor, Sir Jude Agbaso.

“Surprisingly, the governor himself in tandem with the machinations of these people has refused vehemently to work with the party that produced him as governor.’’

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Media, Mr Chinedu Offor, did not pick his calls when our correspondent telephoned him severally for comments.

But the Special Assistant on Media (Print), Mr Ebere Uzokwa, said the governor was not aware of the leadership squabble in the state.

He said that the governor had just returned to the country after three weeks tour of Europe in search of foreign investors.

“The governor didn’t mandate anybody to dissolve the executive or create a new one, the governor is innocent of the whole saga.”

Uzokwa added that as the leader of the party in the state, Okorocha would surely intervene to ensure that there was no crisis in the party in Imo.

He advised Nwaka not to see the governor as being behind the emergence of the factional executive.