Trouble in Imo APGA , former governorship aspirant suspended, 3 others

Crisis rocking the Imo State Chapter of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, has deepened following the suspension of one of the contestants in the just concluded APGA governorship primaries in the state, Mr. Okey Eze, and three others, for alleged "insubordination, gross indiscipline and anti-party activities".

Others suspended with Mr. Eze included the Director General of his campaign Organisation, Mr. Sonny Nwadialo, Eugene Nzeme and Engr. Chidozie Orijuba.

Announcing their suspension at a briefing, State Chairman of APGA, Mr. Peter Ezeobi, said "the suspension was in relation to a recent parallel primaries Mr. Eze and the other suspended persons organised illegally."

According to him, "Mr. Okey Eze obtained his party governorship Nomination and Expression of Interest forms from the national office of our party, under the leadership of Chief Victor Umeh and was screened together with the other contestants, namely Capt Emmanuel Ihenacho and Mazi Okey Unegbu.

“He was also present and participated fully during the primary election conducted by the party at Rosy Arts Theatre, Ikenegbu, Owerri, on December 8, 2014, which was won by Capt. Ihenacho."

Ezeobi recalled that the primary election was monitored by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, the police, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps and the Department of State Services, DSS.

"It is, therefore, an embarrassment and a serious party misconduct for Okey Eze, after losing in the authentic governorship primary election conducted by our party, to go to his event centre in Owerri thereafter to make a jest of our party by using posters of the other aspirants to conduct what he called parallel governorship primary election and announcing himself the winner."

He argued that although the action appeared childish and funny, yet it was a grave misconduct.

Justifying the suspension, Ezeobi, said the leadership of the party in the state had earlier summoned Mr. Eze to come and defend himself on the alleged misconduct but, he allegedly shunned the invitation.

"We cannot continue to watch Mr. Okey Eze and his cohorts ridicule our party, create confusion and deceive the public with their recent acts of indiscipline and anti-party activities.

“Nobody is above the law. Therefore, we invoke Article 21 of our party's constitution to suspend him and the others accordingly," Ezeobi said.

He added that the matter would be referred to the party's disciplinary committee in the state as provided in the party's constitution for further action.

Photo: Deputy Governor Imo , Madumere addressing youths on solidarity