Ezeokenwa: I’m authentic APGA chair – INEC erred by recognising Njoku

Sylvester Ezeokenwa, national chair of the All Grand Progressives Alliance (APGA), says he is the duly elected leader of the party.

Ezeokenwa was elected as chair of the opposition party in May 2023 after an elective convention was held in Awka, Anambra state.

However, in July 2024, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) recognised Edozie Njoku as the national chair of APGA. The electoral body said it relied on a court order to do so.

Njoku has since argued that a convention that was held in Owerri, Imo state capital, produced him as APGA’s national chair.

Before Ezeokenwa was elected chair, there was a leadership tussle between Victor Oye, immediate-past chair of APGA, and Njoku.

Addressing a press conference at the national secretariat of APGA in Abuja on Wednesday, Ezeokenwa said there is nothing for Njoku to hold on to as chair of the party because a verdict of the supreme court that “erroneously” recognised him as APGA’s leader has been rectified.

The chair said there is no subsisting order validating the Owerri convention Njoku claimed to have produced him as chair.

“What was rather intriguing is the claim by the INEC that its decision was pursuant to an alleged court order. Sadly, INEC is yet to furnish us or even the members of the public with the phantom court order that compelled them to take the obnoxious decision,” he said.

“The national convention of APGA held on May 31, 2023 was duly monitored by officials of INEC, led by a National Commissioner, Barr. Festus Okoye and a Certified True Copy of the Monitoring report of the convention was issued by INEC authenticating that Barr Sly Ezeokenwa and other members of his led executive were duly elected at a properly convened National Convention of APGA.

“This national convention of APGA that elected me as national chairman has not been invalidated by any court of law to warrant my name being removed by INEC. It is an error that we must not be allowed to thrive in our political journey in this country.

“Provide to Nigerians the Judgment or Order that mandated you to recognize Edozie Njoku as APGA National Chairman and under which tenure you are recognizing Edozie Njoku!

“I, however, understand the predicament INEC has found itself in and the struggle at all cost to defend the indefensible recognition of a total stranger and a meddlesome interloper in the affairs of APGA.”

Ezeokenwa asked INEC to reverse “the wrongful and erroneous recognition”.