I have not been sacked — Oye
By Favour Goodness
The All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) has nullified the disqualification of five aspirants for the governorship primary election in Anambra state on June 23 who were disqualified by the Victor Oye-led faction.
A faction led by Chief Jude Okeke, New national acting chairman of the party had declaref that no person had been disqualified and that any purported disqualification was done without the authority of the party.
The disqualified aspirants are Nze Sullivan Akachukwu Nwankpo, Hon. Okafor Nonso Smart, Hon Chukwuma Michael Umeoji, Ozoka Odera Ifeanyi and Umeoduagu Nnamdi Dike.
The Party also extended the sale of its governorship forms to the June 25, while the primary election for July 1.
The National Working Committee had therefore cancelled the earlier fixed dates of June 23 and June 25 while warning aspirants who had picked the forms to keep away from those dates.
In his acceptance speech the new acting national chairman of the party, Chief Jude Okeke said that under his tenure everything process must be democratic.
He called on Oye and Chief Edozie Njoku not to spend any money which belonged to the party in their possession, adding that such money would be fully recovered.
He urged Oye-led leadership to also return all the party property in their possession.
“Any expenditure they made from the money in their possession from this day will be fully recovered.
“Finally, I accept this responsibility to lead our great party at this critical time as the acting national chairman of the party.
“As I accept on behalf of the national working Committee, I solely declare that we shall commit all the Nigeria and international resources to build the party.
“We shall not take this confidence repose on us by our leaders. We shall uphold all the views by our leaders, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu,” Okeke said.
Meanwhile, Chief Victor Oye has denied rumours that he has been sacked.
Oye in a press release by the national publicity secretary, Barr Tex Okechukwu said they was no cause to worry.
Full text…
Our attention has been drawn to an unfortunate incident that happened today on AIT live broadcast where a band of political buccaneers and misfits gathered under the guise of NEC of All Progressives Aaliance (APGA) to purportedly announce the suspension of our revered National Chairman, Ozonkpu Victor Ike Oye and some select national officers of the party.
We wish to state without any equivocation as follows:
1. That the so-called Jude Okeke and his cohorts are not officers or financial members of our great party and, therefore, did not have any powers to speak on behalf of the party.
2. That there was never a time our national chairman, Ozonkpu Victor Oye convened a NEC meeting of the party or any other meeting of the party for that matter.
3. That in accordance with Article 13 of the constitution of APGA 2019, only the national chairman of the party could convene meetings of NWC, NEC and National Convention. As we wrote, no such meeting had been convened.
4. That the Supreme Court had made it expressly clear that only the National Convention of a political party could remove the National Chairman of a registered political party.
5. That the so-called NEC meeting on AIT was a political hatchet job to create undue tension in the party and misdirect our teeming members. But it was dead on arrival.
6. That the leadership of the party under Ozonkou Victor Oye is intact and working assiduously to deliver on its governorship primary in Anambra State scheduled for June 23, 2021.
7. That we are determined to bring the full weight of the law to bear on mischiefmakers and their sponsors who are bent on causing disaffection among our members.
8. That law enforcement agents have been placed on full alert to deal ruthlessly with anybody fomenting trouble in the party as APGA remains a peaceful, law-abiding party where peace, justice and equity prevail.
9. We urge millions of our supporters to ignore the rantings of the rabblerousers and go about their businesses without fear of molestation.
Barr. Tex Okechukwu,
National Publicity Secretary
