APGA crisis: Edozie Njoku asks INEC to recognise him as national chairman

Edozie Njoku has asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise him as the national chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).

Njoku’s appeal is contained in a statement released on Wednesday by Muhyideen Imam, the party’s national secretary. 

He said that the supreme court in its judgment on March 24, “resolved conclusively” the leadership dispute in the party. 

“We will be most grateful if my recognition is instantly addressed and speedily honoured bearing in mind that all the confusion from the police and other allegations have been laid to rest,” the statement reads.

“The judgment has also made it so clear that the issue of Edozie Njoku’s removal, at any point in time, is within the confines of the internal affairs of APGA and it is not justiciable.

“We look forward to mutual cooperation for the future.”

In October 2021, the supreme court affirmed an appeal court judgment recognising Victor Oye as the national chairman of the party.

Following protests that trailed the judgment, the supreme court said Njoku was not a party to the judgment.

In March 2023, a five-man panel of the apex court ruled that in the 2021 judgement, Njoku’s name was erroneously written as Oye.

Justice Mohammed Lawal, who read the judgement, said the court has the power to review its verdict and correct such “accidental slip or error” when it is brought to the court’s attention.

In reviewing the 2021 judgement, the court, therefore, expunged the part where Oye’s name was  written as the national chairman of the party.

The court delivered judgment following a motion that was brought before the court by  Njoku.