Mixed Reactions Trail Court’s Sack Of Umeh

Chieftains of the All
Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in Anambra State have reacted to last Wednesday’s judgment in a Federal High Court which declared Chief Maxi Okwu as its national chairman.
While some of the chieftains saw the judgment as an attempt to perpetuate the party in crisis, others saw it as an opportunity to change its leadership.
Reacting,  a factional chairman of the party in the state, Chief Mike Kwentoh, said it was a legal matter which would be sorted out legally.
Kwentoh said there was no need to panic as elections in Anambra had been concluded stating that the judgment would be considered alongside the party’s constitution.
“We only got the information just like every other person; we have not been served so we don’t know the content of the judgment for now.
“It is a constitutional issue so it shall be followed. We came into office in 2007 and after two tenures we are to go in 2015. We shall seek judicial redress in the appeal court,” Kwentoh said.
On his part, another factional chairman of the party in the state, Chief Egwuoyibo Okoye, also said that he had yet to see the contents of the ruling.
Okoye, who emerged from the April 8, 2013 national convention organised by the Okwu faction in Awka, said the pronouncement of the court must be obeyed.
Okoye added that he remained the authentic chairman of the party in Anambra based on that convention.
“We had to let sleeping dogs lie so that as a party we could galvanise to win Anambra which we achieved. “I know that I remain the party chairman in Anambra and when I get the copy of the judgment and study it, if it instructs me to take over the secretariat, I will do so,” he said.
Also speaking, the party’s Deputy National Chairman (South),  Chief Chris Uche, said the Okwu faction had already taken over, adding that the era of exclusivity was over.
Uche said that APGA would open up for all members to contribute their quota.
“It is a good thing for the party. APGA will be better for it. I must say there was no truce before now but with what has happened, we shall see true progress in our great party,” he said.
The Federal High Court in Abuja had last Wednesday sacked Chief Victor Umeh and Alhaji Sani Shinkafi as the party’s national chairman and secretary respectively.

L-R: Prof Vincent Chukwuemeka, Archbishop Maxwell Anikwenwa, Prof. Uche Azikiwe, Prof. Ben Nwabueze and Comrade Elliot Uko, at a committee meeting of Igbo leaders of thought in Enugu State, yesterday.