APGA CRISIS: IWU'S HEADING FOR JAIL, SAYS OJUKWU

The leader and presidential candidate of  All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in the 2007 general election, Dim Odumegwu  Ojukwu,  yesterday  reacted to the ongoing crisis in the party and said that  the Chairman of  the Independent National  Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Maurice Iwu,  was walking his way to jail  for  refusing  to recognise and  obey court judgment.

Ojukwu, who spoke to newsmen at his Forest Crescent, GRA, Enugu,  over the APGA crisis,  expressed surprise  at how  the Iwu-led INEC  which had all along recognised Chief Victor Umeh as  National Chairman of the  party based on the party's decision and court pronouncement  could  now  turn back to recognise  Chief Chekwas Okorie as  the  chairman of the party.

Maintaining that Umeh remained the National chairman of the party in line with party's constitution and as contested in  the court, Ojukwu lambasted the INEC boss for creating problem in the party,  claiming that even  the man he wants to protect had accepted his fate in the party.

Ojukwu said as far as he was concerned, Iwu was playing  a game of politics,  and accused the INEC boss of deliberately causing confusion in the party. He maintained that the party had decided that  Okorie has ceased to be a member of the party,  stressing that except he changed  his ways, he will  not be welcome to APGA.

He  accused the INEC Chairman  of being mischievious   with APGA, adding that this was  not the best  for somebody in his position.

Ojukwu said that with  the action of  the INEC  chairman, he would soon be caught  up by  a deadly trap which he (Ojukwu) had set  for the Electoral Commission  boss, adding that  except he retraces his step, the law would soon take hold of  him.

Ojukwu maintained that no amount of efforts to cause confusion in the party would work since,  according to him, APGA enjoyed the support of Ndigbo throughout the nation and the world.

He expressed optimism that his party would record more victories in the next elections in Anambra and the 2011 because of the love  that APGA  enjoys from Ndigbo and many Nigerians.