APGA Petitions NJC Over Judgement on Leadership Tussle

The leadership of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) under the chairmanship of Edozie Njoku has petitioned the National Judicial Council (NJC) over a judgement delivered by Justice J.K. Omotosho on the leadership feud rocking the party.

Founder and chairman, Board of Trustees (BOT) of the party, Chief Chekwas Okorie disclosed this at a press briefing held in Enugu.

Okorie noted that the Justice Omotosho of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja delivered a verdict on the leadership tussle in the party on November 20th, 2024 when a similar case was still pending at the Supreme Court.

He added that in the judgement, the Judge ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to withdraw its recognition of Edozie Njoku as the National Chairman of APGA and replaced him with one Sly Ezeonwuka.

Going down memory lane, Okorie recalled that a 5-member justices of the Supreme Court delivered a unanimous judgement upholding Njoku as the National Chairman of the party.

Okorie said despite the judgement, INEC, which was a party to the suit refused to obey the judgement, stating that the commission was however forced to recognize Edozie as chairman after a court order.

He added further that Justice Maguda convicted the INEC Chairman, Professor Yakubu Mahmood and a former factional national chairman of the party, Victor Oye for contempt of the court but delayed the sentencing out of leniency to allow the contemnors the altitude to purge themselves of contempt.

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He said it was unfortunate that while the Supreme Court was yet to deliver judgement on suit brought to it by Victor Oye and Mr. Ezeonwuka yet, Justice Omotosho delivered a judgment on 20th November, 2024.

“APGA has taken the civilised step of submitting the party’s petition to the NJC while patiently awaiting the judgement of the Supreme Court,” Okorie stated.

He expressed optimism that the NJC which is saddled with the responsibility to ensure that judicial officers adhere to the ethics of their jobs will look into the petition.