The triumphant national chairman of the All Progressives grand alliance, APGA, Chief Victor Umeh has dedicated the Appeal Court verdict which reaffirmed him as the inviolable boss of the party yesterday at Enugu to the memory and dogged spirit of Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, the late leader of the party.
Addressing hordes of journalists at the graveside of the late Ikemba Nnewi’s at his Nnewi country home, Anambra state yesterday where he went to pay homage shortly after the victorious verdict in Enugu.
However the governor, Mr Peter Obi, speaking through his Special Adviser on Political Matters, Mr Fidel Okafor has notified of their readiness to appeal the verdict.
A member of the House of Representatives and chairman House committee on Environment , Iyom Uche Ekwunife say it was victory for the rebuilding of APGA. “Its victory for democracy, hence no time for any celebration dance.”
She appealed for a reconciliation meeting; urging the governor to reconcile with Umeh in the interest of the people and the party.
When taken on what becomes of the factions now existing, Ekwunife pointed out that ‘once Obi goes back to Umeh every other person would take a cue. She observed that it’s the panacea to retaining the governorship seat of the state, and an open and transparent party’s governorship primaries.
Also the factional state chairman of the party loyal to Gov Obi, Chief Egwuoyibo Okoye, a lawyer and Transition Committee chairman of Nnewi South LGA, told our correspondent in Awka that nothing has actually changed, “after all we have had one such verdict before”.
The former Anambra South senatorial candidate of the party, Chief Azuka Okwuosa said it was never a victory for anyone but that what should be paramount now should be for all to work cohesion and rebuilding of the party. According to him, “I have always believed in the rule of law as the major ingredient of democracy. I urge all the feuding parties to now close ranks. At least in memory of our late leader, Ikemba.
“Lets bury the hatchet and come together once again and move in the spirit of the founding fathers of the party..”, Okwuosa asserted.
Another National Assembly representing Ogbaru Fed Constituency, Afam Ogene saw the disagreement as an internal family issue which should now be laid to rest as a result of the Appeal Court verdict yesterday in the interest of the people. He noted that all dedicated and committed members had since the onset of the matter made various moves to settle it in-house but failed.
Umeh noted that at the on-set of the legal tussle he came to seek the guide of Ikemba’s spirit, and now that the victory has come, he returned to pay homage again.
Declaring a no victor, no vanquished stand, Umeh called every member including new ones and even those who had insulted him to return to the fold as he has forgiven all.
But he was quick to declare that never again shall anyone who rode on the back of the party be allowed to become too big or powerful for control.
He said the party would study all issues on ground including the pending governorship and council elections with a view to making public its stand on each.
The party boss pointed out that the main reason he was vilified by Obi’s foot soldiers was because he insisted on council election as a way to empower the citizens. He described as unfortunate the situation where the state executive now run from pillar to post for an election that would have made the party a champion for the people. He exonerated the embattled chairman of ANSIEC, Prof Titus Eze from any wrong doing, only because he insisted on going ahead to hold the council poll.
