APGA Vows To Sack APC, Okorocha In Imo, Chief Victor Umeh, Onyebuchi Ezigbo In Abuja
The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has reiterated that it will put in place a machinery that will work towards retrieving the mandate of the people of Imo State from the state Governor, Chief Rochas Okorocha.
The party's National Chairman, Chief Victor Umeh, who spoke yesterday at the inauguration of a 29-member caretaker executive committee for the state in Abuja, said the first move to retrieve the mandate would commence at the courts very soon, where APGA hopes to sack Okorocha from office.
In apparent reaction to a statement credited to Okorocha in which he declared that APGA was dead in the state, Umeh said it was the All Progressives Congress (APC) that would be shown the way out of the state at the next election.
He said as part of the move to reclaim the state, the leadership of APGA was planning a massive rally tagged 'operation earthquake' in the state to show them that the state was still solidly behind APGA.
In addition, Umeh said the party would file a law suit against the governor over his declaration for the APC in order to get him to surrender the party's mandate.
“We are going to file an action against the governor of Imo State. He cannot take the APGA mandate and go to APC. The law is clear about this. The Supreme Court had in a judgment between Rivers State, Governor Rotimi Amaechi and Celetine Omehi, ruled that it is the party and not the individual that presents candidates for election. We are going to pursue the case to a logical conclusion to serve as a deterrent against any such sell out by elected officials,” he said.
Umeh warned that in the case of the members of the state and National Assembly members elected on the party's platform, any of them found to be fraternising with APC would be made to lose his or her seat.
“This party is very disaddened by the development in Imo State, in 2011 the party worked hard to secure victory in the state but regrettably we got trapped into something we cannot explained how that happened we cannot understand. What we laboured together to achieve has been taken and given to another party without their working for it. It is a travesty for someone who has never won elections in Nigeria except with APGA's support can afford to try to dismember the party through which he rose to power,” he said.
The national chairman further lamented that one of the greatest disservice to the people of Imo State, was the recent signing of the abortion law by the state governor in utter disregard to the sensibilities of the people of the state.
“With every sense of responsibility we hereby tender apology to the people of Imo state for the governor's action because it was taken when he said he was still in APGA. We also tender apology to the Christian community and all pro-human life groups.
“There is no way we could explain such an action. We hereby disassociate APGA from the signing into law of abortion bill by the governor. We want to also apologise to the people for this singular act of irresponsibility by someone elected on the platform of the party and whom the party expected to respect the views and aspirations of the people who voted for the party,” he said.
Umeh said the even though the governor was then operating under the platform of APGA, the governor signed the abortion law without resort to advise from the party.
The APGA chairman, however, used the opportunity to announce the choice of Dr. Nkemakolam Chukwukaodi, as the deputy governorship candidate of the party for the November 16 governorship election.
Speaking at the forum, Chief Chukwuemeka Odimegwu Ojukwu (Jr), said what had happened in Imo State was a travesty and a conduct unbecoming, adding that all hands should be on deck to ensure the reclaiming of the party's mandate in the state.
The APGA leader in Imo state and a former ally of Governor Okorocha, Chief Martins Agbaoso said he was deeply saddened by what has happened in the state, especially by the conduct of the governor whom the party entrust with the people's mandate.
He assured that at the appropriate time the party will do what is required to retrieve power from their mandate.
On her part, Senator Chris Anyanwu, called for a reinvigoration of the spirit of APGA, adding that the party should not dwell in lamenting about the disappointments of the past but should work hard to rebuild and refocus the party.
Earlier, while inaugurating the caretaker committee, Umeh said the party has carefully consulted with stakeholders in the state before coming up with the new leadership.
He cautioned the new caretaker leadership eschew discrimination or anything that may cause disunity and disaffection amongst party members in the state, stressing that the inauguration of the new leadership of APGA signified a death sentence to APC in the state.
The members of new APGA caretaker executive in Imo include, Chairman, Chudi Onuzo, Deputy Chairman, Dr. David Iwuagwu, Secretary, Mr. Ndipubisi Richard Okoroikpa, Organising Secretary, John Iwuala Udeh and Treasurer, Lambert Iwueke.
The party NEC had on the August 3 dissolved the APGA executive in the state, following the desertion of the party by the former leadership alongside Okorocha.