The All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), at its national convention on Wednesday in Abuja, expelled the Anambra State Governor, Mr. Peter Obi, factional Chairman, Chief Victor Umeh and Alhaji Abdullahi Shinkafi from the party.
APGA, also at the convention held at the National Women Development Centre, Abuja, restored Chief Chekwas Okorie as its member and national chairman, an action that brought to an end, the claim by Umeh as the factional chairman.
In the motion for the expulsion of Governor Obi, which was moved by Engineer Obinna Emenike, APGA’s national vice chairman (South-South) and seconded by Alhaji Isiakwu Bello from Sokoto State, the party said its disciplinary committee found Obi to be involved in dissident activities and conducts, that can tarnish and destroy the nurtured image and credibility of APGA.
According to the party, SEC received the recommendations sent to the disciplinary committee, deliberated and adopted them in accordance with the relevance articles of APGA’s constitution.
The party stated that so long the report of the disciplinary committee and the decision of the SEC were in compliance with the rules of fair hearing provided by the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria, as well as APGA’s constitution and there was no appeal pending against the terms stipulated by the APGA’s constitution expiring, the recommendations and decision were approved by the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) on January 12, 2005.
“This is to resolve that this convention ratify the decision of the NEC that Mr. Peter Obi be expelled by the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) and it is hereby resolved that Mr. Peter Obi is hereby forthwith expelled from the party, All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA).
Also, the APGA’s Chairman in Imo State, Chief Sydney Onyekachi, in moving the motion for the expulsion of Umeh, which was seconded by Engineer A. B. Muazu, said the former factional chairman was found guilty of the same offences committed by Governor Obi by the disciplinary committee, which the convention also ratified and therefore expelled him from the party.
Similarly, Chief Mercy Ozua from Borno State moved the motion for the expulsion of Alhaji Shinkafi, which the convention also ratified.
In moving the motion for restoring Okorie as the national chairman, Chief Kunle Ayorinde, said Okorie by the virtue of Article 18, Subsection One of AOGA constitution, Okorie is entitled to hold the office of national chairman for two terms of four years each.
The party, therefore, said Okorie was purportedly expelled as a member and an officer of APGA by a dissident group, adding that the action has been set aside by the convention and Okorie restored and confirmed as its national chairman.
The National Secretary of APGA, Barrister Bello Umar, in his reports presented to over 3000 delegates of the party that came from across the country, said the Abuja national convention was the second since the party came into being in 2002 with the first held six years ago in 2003.
According to Umar, APGA made an impressive outing in 2003 general elections by winning several seats at the poll with its presidential candidate, Chief Chukwuemeka Ojukwu, coming third among the 30 contestants.
He said the APGA began in good time to plan to consolidate on its modern status in 2003 general elections, with a view to becoming a party to beat in the 2007 polls.
In his address, Okorie said a brand new APGA has emerged through the national convention. He regretted that the party has passed through the crucible of furnace and suffered demolition in the past.
Okorie enjoined Nigerians to expect a more robust, vibrant and radical progressive political party to beat in the future democratic dispensation in Nigeria.
Okorie also told Daily Sun that the party did not pay reprisal action on Mr. Emeka Etiaba at the convention as APGA did not consider him a registered member, saying that only the mother of the deputy governor is recognised as a registered member of APGA.
When Governor Obi was contacted for reaction, his Special Assistant on Media, Mr. Val Obienyi, said: “Oga is very busy working and will not like to be distracted by the joke of the year.”
