Politics
APGA Leadership Crisis: Supreme Court Reverses Self
By Edozie Obasi-Eze
The leadership crisis affecting the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has entered into another chapter, with the Supreme Court, reversing itself.
In a ruling on Monday, the apex court upheld the appeal of Edozie Njoku, thereby reinstating him as the national chairman of the party.
Flaunting a copy of the said judgment before journalists in Abuja on Tuesday, Njoku explained that he approached the Supreme Court to review its earlier judgment on the matter and that the apex court consequently ruled in his favor.
He said, “I was removed by the lower court in Jigawa State. We went on an appeal and we saw what happened at the Appeal Court. We went to the Supreme Court; things happened, but the Supreme Court is full of wise men and women. And we took our time, asked them to look at that thing again and yesterday (Monday), it was revised.
“Not revised but they just took the name; it is just a name that was inserted where it was supposed to have been and they now put things back in place.”
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Recall that Njoku after being sacked by the lower court went on to lose at the appellate court. Dissatisfied with those rulings, he approached the Supreme Court on the matter, which led to the revised judgment delivered on Monday.
He called on all aggrieved party members, especially the sacked national chairman, Victor Oye, to close ranks in the interest of the party.
He assured that more information would be shared with the public on how the intends to navigate the national political terrain, after “a meeting of key stakeholders of the party”.
“We are going to have another press conference but what I really want to do is to thank all Nigerians who have stood behind justice, who have stood behind the truth, all those who have labored under the side of truth. For the past four years, we have been crying,” he added.
He specially solicited the support of members of the party’s national working committee and appealed to members who exited the party to come back.
Njoku said, “And I beg the seven members of the National Working Committee to calm down. We have to reduce the rhetoric of insulting one another. Oye is a gentleman and I have high respect for him as a former national chairman of our party.
“He (Oye) will be one of those I will reach out to, and he is not an imposter. He was the national chairman of APGA from 2015 to 2019. We should respect him as the former national chairman of the party no matter his shortcomings which we can say are excessive but everyone has his own shortcomings.”
The All Progressives Congress has recorded a clean sweep in the Ebonyi State local government elections, winning all 13 chairmanship and 171 councillorship seats contested in the poll.
The results were announced on Sunday by the Chairman of the Ebonyi State Independent Electoral Commission, Patrick Enyi, at the commission’s office on Onwe Road, Abakaliki.
Among the winners was Osborn Umahi, son of the Minister of Works, David Umahi, who emerged chairman-elect of Ohaozara Local Government Area.
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Other candidates declared winners include Peace Agwu for Ishielu, Paul Ituma for Ohaukwu, Friday Nwuhuo for Ezza North, Chinedu Mkpuma for Ezza South, Chidi Nwode for Ikwo and Timothy Nwachi for Afikpo.
Also declared winners were Ikechukwu Ogbofia for Onicha, Michael Kalu Anyim for Ivo, Simeon Onuoha for Edda, Helen Aduga for Izzi, Chidiebere Alo for Abakaliki and Chibueze Odigwe for Ebonyi Local Government Area.
Enyi described the election as peaceful, free and fair, noting that other political parties participated in the exercise.
He commended voters for turning out to exercise their constitutional rights and appreciated security agencies for providing support throughout the election.
Speaking after his declaration, Umahi commended EBSIEC for what he described as the transparent and peaceful conduct of the election.
He pledged to prioritise rural development, youth empowerment and agricultural transformation during his tenure as chairman.
Meanwhile, the Ebonyi State APC Chairman, Stanley Okoro Emegha, described the party’s sweeping victory as an indication of its dominance in the state.
Emegha said the outcome also demonstrated what he described as the growing acceptance of the APC across Ebonyi, expressing confidence that the party would record another victory in the 2027 general elections.
Former Gombe State Governor and Senator representing Gombe Central, Danjuma Goje, has denied reports that he is planning to defect from the All Progressives Congress ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Goje made the clarification on Saturday while addressing his supporters at his residence in Gombe, amid speculation over his political future following his loss of the APC senatorial ticket.
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The former governor said he was consulting with political stakeholders and would announce his next political move at the appropriate time.
He urged his supporters to remain loyal to the party’s leaders and disregard what he described as attempts to mislead them.
“Do not listen to betrayers, go home, prepare, be loyal to our party leaders and wait for my final order,” Goje said.
He further stated, “I am not defecting to any party now, however I am consulting stakeholders, but I promise I will be with my supporters with or without a Senate ticket.”
The development comes after Goje’s name was omitted from the Independent National Electoral Commission’s final list of candidates for the 2027 general elections.
Goje had contested the APC senatorial primary for Gombe Central but lost the party’s ticket to another aspirant. Reports from the primary indicated that Mohammed Ahmed emerged as the APC candidate for the district.
His supporters had earlier rejected the party’s consensus arrangement that replaced him as the proposed candidate, with his camp questioning the process.
The situation has fuelled speculation about Goje’s next political move, particularly amid reports of overtures from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party to offer him its senatorial ticket.
Despite the speculation, Goje has not announced any decision to leave the APC, insisting that he is still consulting stakeholders before taking a position.
Goje served as governor of Gombe State from 2003 to 2011 and was elected to the Senate in 2011. He was re-elected in 2023 for a fourth term representing Gombe Central.
With his name absent from the 2027 senatorial candidates’ list, political attention is now focused on whether Goje will remain in the APC, support another candidate or eventually move to another political platform.
For now, the former governor has asked his supporters to remain calm, loyal and ready for his “final order.”
