12th February, 2014
Press Release
The All Progressives Grand Alliance National Secretariat Abuja has been inundated with enquires on whether the party will hold a national convention on 15th February, 2014.
We wish to state categorically that the party has not fixed any convention on 15th February. We refer members to Article 11 (2)a of APGA Constitution which states that the National Executive Committee (NEC) shall; “Summon and prepare the agenda for the national convention”, while Article 22(1) further empowers NEC to fix date, time and venue for a national convention. The NEC meeting of the party held on 6th February 2014, at De Bently Hotel Abuja did not summon APGA convention.
Though we concede that members could come together and deliberate on how to move the party forward, such gathering cannot be called a convention of the party.
Any purported national convention of the party in Awka, Anambra State or else where convened by any group in any guise will be contemptuous of the Federal High Court Abuja judgment delivered by Hon. Justice Abdulkadir Abdu-Kafarati on 15th January 2014, and will attract appropriate sanction. A contempt charge has since been filed against our erstwhile National Chairman and Secretary, Chief Victor Umeh and Alhaji Sani Shinkafi respectively at the Federal high Court Abuja for disobeying a clear judgment of court that removed them from office.
A convention of the party must follow due process and predicted by a series of congresses at Ward and State levels. It is at the said congresses that the national delegates for the convention will be elected except for Ex-officio members. The Electoral Act 2010 also provides that 21 days notice be given to the Independent National Electoral Commission. This was the procedure the acclaimed national convention on 8th April 2013, at Women Development Centre Awka, Anambra State followed which produced the Chief Maxi Okwu leadership, which was monitored by the electoral body and upheld by both the Awka and Abuja High Courts.
By this statement APGA members are put on notice to dissociate themselves from any purported convention or jamboree by party dissidents.
We enjoin party members to support Maxi Okwu’s leadership in efforts to rebrand our great party. Okwu’s victory is victory for democracy aimed at reconciling aggrieved members and reposition APGA as the third leg in nation’s political tripod. There is no victor, no vanquished as we remain our brother’s keeper in the spirit of APGA motto.
Victor Chigozie Eneh
Senior Special Assistant Media
To Chief Maxi Okwu, National Chairman APGA
