Sly Ezeokenwa, the National Chairman of the Allied Progressive Alliance (APGA), recently expressed his determination to work with other like-minded stakeholders to counter the attempts of a factional chairman, Edozie Njoku, and other impostors to destroy the party.
At a press conference held in Abuja on Thursday, Ezeokenwa stressed that Njoku and his accomplices ceased to be legitimate members of the party since they left APGA in 2007. He explained that these impostors were seeking to destroy APGA, especially ahead of next year’s Anambra State governorship elections, in a bid to prevent the current governor, Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, from running for a second term under its banner.
Ezeokenwa has been highly critical of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), saying it was collaborating with the Njoku-led faction to deliberately undermine the party ahead of the Anambra State elections.
He said: “Following the judgment of the Court of Appeal of June 24, 2024, which upheld the judgment of the Bwari District Court, the Court did not recognize Edozie Njoku as the Chairman of APGA. APGA, whose leadership was being questioned, was never a party to the suit. This is a further step and we will emerge stronger.”
“The fact that APGA was not a party to the suit is why I appealed the judgment of the Court of Appeal. Njoku is an imposter and INEC has recognized him as the Chairman,” he added.
Ezeokenwa expressed his hope that the judiciary would do the right thing and uphold the rule of law in the matter. He also noted that Njoku was no longer a member of APGA, having left the party on his own in 2007, and called for the truth about the situation to properly inform Nigerians.
He also criticized Chekwas Okorie, who was expelled from APGA in 2004 and later formed another party. Ezeokenwa warned against attempts by some individuals to undermine APGA, stressing that the aim was to bury the party.
In conclusion, Ezeokenwa called on INEC to immediately recognize his legitimacy as the National Chairman of APGA and stressed the importance of genuine democracy and law enforcement to preserve the integrity of the party.
What emerges from this speech by Sly Ezeokenwa is his determination to defend APGA against destabilization attempts by dissident factions. His willingness to respect democratic principles and the rule of law is a strong signal to the party members and supporters, but also to the entire Nigerian political class.