Onah Onah Ex-National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Senator Victor Umeh has told the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Charles Soludo the candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) for the November 6 Anambra State governorship poll. Umeh also pleaded with factional National Chairman of the party Chief Jude Okeke and APGA’s factional candidate for the election Chukwuma Umeoji to return to the party. Umeh made the appeal at a press briefing in Awka following Tuesday’s judgment of the Appeal Court in Kano affirming Soludo as APGA’s candidate for the election.
He said since the legal battle against Soludo’s candidacy had been resolved by the Court of Appeal, INEC should recognise him immediately to enable him to begin his campaign. According to the Chairman of Peace and Reconciliation Committee of the party, his committee does not see the Court of Appeal judgment in the negative, but as an action taken by Okeke and his group aimed at airing their grievances.
He advised Okeke and Umeoji not to go to Supreme Court but to return to the party, promising to give them soft-landing. However, Umeh said their going to the apex court might not distract APGA from going ahead with Soludo’s campaign to succeed Willie Obiano. Meanwhile, Umeoji rejected the judgment of the Court of Appeal recognising Victor Oye as the authentic National Chairman of the party. The Appeal Court had nullified the judgment of a Jigawa State High Court presided by Justice Musa Ubale sacking Oye as APGA National Chairman, saying the lower court lacked jurisdiction to adjudicate on the matter. The National Publicity Secretary of the Okeke faction, Ikechukwu Chukwunye, said they would head to the Supreme Court to overrule the Court of Appeal.
