A faction of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) led by Sylvester Ezeokenwa, has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to revisit its recognition of Edozie Njoku as National Chairman of the party.
Ezeokenwa, at a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday, challenged the commission to show Nigerians the judgement that mandated it to recognise Njoku as the party’s National Chairman.
He urged INEC “to be courageous, resilient and stand by the truth and correct the unpopular recognition of Edozie Njoku.”
The commission, had, after several years of protracted legal battle, recognised Edozie Njoku as APGA National Chairman.
But Ezeokenwa who succeeded Victor Oye last year, reminded INEC that the Supreme Court had in its letter dated June 6, 2024 denied that it declared Njoku APGA National Chairman “by its corrected ruling of 24th March 2023.”
He noted that it was on the strength of the judgement of the Court of Appeal Kano, which was affirmed by the Supreme Court, that INEC had dealt with Oye as the APGA National Chairman until he served out his second tenure on May 31, 2023.
Ezeokenwa said the Oye tenure ushered the new national leadership of APGA, which he said, he is now leading after INEC was served with the notices required by S.82(1) of the Electoral Act 2022 .
“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 most not be allowed to thrive in our political journey in this country.
“The simple poser to INEC remains: Provide to Nigerians the judgement or order that mandated you to recognise Edozie Njoku as APGA National Chairman and under which tenure you are recognising Edozie Njoku!
“I, however understand the predicament INEC has found itself and the struggle at all cost to defend the indefensible recognition of a total stranger and a meddlesome interloper in the affairs of APGA.
“But there is absolutely no justification for the position taken by INEC and the ideal path of honour for INEC to tow is to reverse the wrongful and erroneous recognition,” he stated.