The founder and pioneer national chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, Chief Chekwas Okorie, has accused Governor Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State of attempting to destroy the party and defy the Supreme Court.
Okorie made the accusation on Tuesday in Abuja while briefing journalists on the ongoing crisis in the party.
Okorie alleged that Soludo’s actions in APGA since becoming governor are aimed at destroying the party and ignoring the rule of law.
He stated that despite the Supreme Court’s judgment affirming Chief Edozie Njoku as the authentic national chairman of APGA, and INEC recently complying with the judgment by recognizing Njoku as the party’s chairman, Soludo has refused to accept him.
Okorie revealed that Soludo had boasted to him directly that he would use everything within his powers as governor to prevent Njoku from becoming chairman and threatened to resign from APGA and destroy the party, if he failed.
According to the elder statesman, he took strong exception to Soludo’s boast, telling him that only God could determine APGA’s fate.
Despite their disagreement, Okorie said he and Njoku have extended an olive branch to Soludo for peace in APGA. He noted that many well-meaning leaders across the country have also reached out to Soludo, recognizing him as the obstacle to peace in APGA, but he has remained unyielding.
He said, “It is a fact of the record of the Supreme Court of Nigeria that Chief Edozie Njoku and other members of the National Working Committee of All Progressives Grand Alliance elected at the National Convention of the Party on 31st May, 2019, at Owerri, Imo State were the authentic leadership of the party.
“The erstwhile rival of Chief Edozie Njoku, Chief Victor Oye with the support and financial backing of Professor Chukwuma Soludo, the governor of Anambra State, introduced all manner of intrigues, blackmail and subterfuge which combined to deter INEC from complying with the clear judgment and order of the Supreme Court until recently.
“Professor Chukwuma Soludo had boasted to me directly that he would use everything within his powers as the governor of Anambra State, to ensure that Chief Edozie Njoku would never be the National Chairman of APGA.
“He vowed that if for any reason he failed to stop Njoku from becoming National Chairman, he would resign from APGA within 24 hours and that APGA would cease to exist as a political party.
“I told him that since he was not God that made APGA possible 22 years ago when it was registered by INEC as a political party that he lacked the power to determine the survival of APGA.
“Notwithstanding the altercation between Professor Soludo and myself, Chief Edozie Njoku and I have individually and separately extended hand of fellowship to him for peace to reign in APGA.
“Many well-meaning leaders from across the country who upon realizing that it was Professor Soludo that was the stumbling block to a peaceful APGA reached out to him several times. He remained obstinate and unyielding.
“Prof Soludo and his cohorts are at liberty to exit APGA and join any party of their choice. They will not be the first to take that option and they will not be the last to do so.
“But to design a plot to collapse APGA into another party just to promote his personal political scheming and ambition is not only sacrilegious but an abomination that cries to high heaven.”