By Izunna Okafor, Awka
The Chief Edozie Njoku-led faction of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) has disengaged Mr. P. I. N Ikwueto, SAN, as the party’s solicitor.
The disengagement was announced in a 12-paragraph letter to that effect, personally signed by Chief Njoku as ‘National Chairman, APGA’ and addressed to Ikwueto.
Copied to Honorable Justice J.K Omotosho of Court 7, Federal High Court, Abuja; Registrar of the Federal High Court, Abuja, Paul Erokoro, SAN; Mr. Michael Ajara, Esq.; and Mr. Panam Ntui, Esq.; Njoku, in the letter, also accused Ikwueto of causing crisis in APGA, as being a legal counsel to Barr. Sly Ezeokenwa, unnecessarily duplicating cases, as well entering a case on behalf of APGA without without obtaining the necessary approval from the leadership of the party.
In what appears to be a total overhauling of the legal team of the party, the letter further announced the disengagement of Dr. Onyechi Ikpeazu; C.I Mbaeri, Esq.; Victor Agunzi, Esq.; Tobechukwu Nweke, Esq.; Chinedu Eze, Esq.; Dr. Obinna Onya, Esq.; and Celestine Ezeokeke, Esq.; and also announced Barr. Michael Ajara and Barr. Panam Ntui as replacements and new external solicitors to the party.
Dated September 26, 2024, and titled “Letter of Disengagement as APGA External Solicitor”, the letter reads: “We, the National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) respectfully write you this letter to disengage you and the following: Dr. Onyechi Ikpeazu, C.I Mbaeri, Esq. Victor Agunzi, Esq, Tobechukwu Nweke, Esq, Chinedu Eze, Esq, Dr. Obinna Onya, Esq, Celestine Ezeokeke, Esq from representing APGA in (Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/966/2024) or any other suit relating to APGA, owing to some calculated, consistent and concerted efforts on your part to cause crisis in our party, through undue duplicity of suits (amounting to abuse of court process and forum shopping and brazen disrespect and disregard to subsisting orders/judgement of courts).
“For coincidence of doubt, the party (APGA) you claim to represent in Section 8 (VIII) (b) of the Party’s Owerri Constitution of 2019 (as amended) made it abundantly clear that it is only the National Chairman Chief Edozie Njoku and/or Barr. Hamman Buba Ghide, the National Legal Adviser that can engage an External Solicitor for the party on any suit.
“As Chief Victor Oye’s Counsel, you are aware that it was myself (Chief Edozie Njoku, the National Chairman of APGA) that was removed in faraway Jigawa and reinstated by the Supreme Court (SC/CV/687/2021) and the case dismissed as Forum Shopping: wherein the lead Justice, Honourable Justice Ukaego Peter Mary Odili (Rtd) inter-alia clearly stated: ‘It needs to be stated at this point that the dispute being who should be the Acting National Chairman of the 1st Respondent APGA and whether the Chairman, Chief Edozie Njoku was validly replaced are within the confines of the internal affair of the 1st Respondent which is not justiciable.’
“Similarly, in corroborating the said judgement, Honourable Justice Ukaego Peter Mary Odili (Rtd) stated succinctly in her letter dated the 7th day of November, 2022: ‘By this clarification, it is to be noted that Chief Victor Oye was not a Party to the proceedings and the proper Party for whom the Judgment and orders referred is Chief Edozie Njoku.’
“Despite knowing that the right of representation of the Party as a legal entity rests with Chief Edozie Njoku-led Executives, whose approval must be sought and secured, before any litigation can be entered in the name of the Party; you went ahead to institute a matter in the name of APGA in Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/966/2024, as a Plaintiff, without the knowledge and approval of the Party.
“You are also in the know that this Judgment of the Supreme Court was enforced at the FCT High Court 40 Bwari, in the course of the proceedings an Order of Court was given by the Judge that there should be no primaries, congresses or conventions. This order was disobeyed by Chief Victor Oye and INEC (1st and 2nd Respondents) respectively in that suit. Both Respondents disobeyed the Order of Court. Chief Victor Oye conducted an illegal convention wherein your client Mr. Sylvester Ezeokenwa emerged. He was charged for contempt, with Forms 48 and 49 served on them. The Court’s judgment found them guilty.
“It is imperative to note that, a day before the date for sentencing, Victor Oye and Co rushed off to Court of Appeal and obtained an Order to Stay the sentencing pending the hearing of the appeal. At the Court of Appeal (CA/ABJ/724/2023), the order for stay was vacated and the judgement for contempt affirmed by the Court of Appeal. The Court of Appeal consequently, returned the case to the trial court for the sentencing which has been slated for the 28th day of October, 2024. In these cases mentioned, you were part of the legal team in both cases.
“As if that was not enough, Sir, you went back to the Court of Appeal to stay the judgment of the court, which was refused. While these were ongoing, INEC agreed with the true position of the law and immediately recognized me as the National Chairman of APGA and published my name in their official portal/website.
“With all these facts at hand, I truly find it strange that you will go to any Court of law to represent APGA, knowing fully well that I am the National Chairman of APGA, who is fully recognized by the body in charge of regulating political parties in Nigeria, which is captured on their website; knowing fully well that there is no instruction given to you by myself or the National Legal Adviser, you went ahead to file an action on behalf of APGA. For the avoidance of doubt, I hereby debrief all of you and forbid you from further representing APGA in this or any other suit unless you are instructed by me or Barr. Hamman Buba Ghide, the National Legal Adviser.
“I truly find it strange that Learned Silks will go to the Federal High Court to represent our party (APGA), without due authorization from me as the recognized National Chairman of APGA by INEC.
“We hereby put you on notice that we have instructed Paul Erokoro, SAN, Barrs. Michael Ajara and Panam Ntui to act as External Solicitors to the Party in Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/966/2024 and other matters that the party may deem fit.
“We are truly sorry for any inconveniences that the facts of this matter may have caused you.
“Thank you.”
