stiny Organization members to the home of former Imo State Governor, Chief Ethelbert Okorocha at Ogboko in Ideato South LGA, where they sealed a deal to return to APC, and with Araraume to fly the APC flag in the Okigwe Senatorial re-un election (see newspaper report) attached”.
In furtherance, the letter said, “Some months ago, Senator Araraume, representing APGA, met with leaderships of AA and APC in Abuja and announced that they have formed a coalition, even without the knowledge and consent of both the National Chairman and his state counterpart, Chief John Iwuala. This gathering was put together to commence a sinister move of pulling out from APGA.
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“These highlights vividly explain clear violation of the party constitution which amounts to misconduct of the nature that carries summary dismissal”.
Speaking on the leadership struggle in the party, Chief Iwuala said with the court order, he remains the authentic Caretaker Committee Chairman of the party in Imo State.
Narrating the story of how the problem started, he said, “the former Exco led by Barr. Peter Ezeobi was dissolved by the party and the National leadership set up a Caretaker Committee which I headed, to take over the activities of the party and conduct a congress. When we planned the congress, Senator Araraume and his Destiny group scuttled the arrangement and hijacked the process. They went to Ishiebu, Isiala Mbano LGA and drew a list of party executive contrary to the smooth and progress of the planned congress.
“On the day of the Congress, unknown to the party, they forced themselves in and announced the list. Even the INEC officials that were there rejected the outcome of the congress and left with annoyance. Party delegates for the congress left with annoyance. As a result of that, some party faithful and those who wanted to contest for one position or the other, decided to approach the Court, and questioned the credibility of the purported congress, and as well, asked the Court to squash the congress and order for a fresh congress.
In the process, the Owerri High Court presided over by His Lordship Hon. Justice N.B. Ukoha, on the 1st day of July, 2019, gave an Interlocutory Injunction of statuesque Ante Bellum, and directed that the party should maintain its statuesque and reverse back to how the party was in its leadership and administration in Imo State before the state congresses which is now being challenged pending the final determination of the substantive matter.
The order of court read, “After hearing the submission of the plaintiff’s Counsel asking that the statuesque Ante Bellum be maintained and the Court after consideration of the application hereby Ordered as follows:
“IT IS ORDERED that the parties are hereby ORDERED to maintain their STATUS QUO Ante Bellum and not to do anything further tendering to damage the position and the running of the parties as it were before the said congress which is now being challenged until the Motion on Notice is heard and determined”.
To abide by the order of the Court, the National Vice Chairman of the party, South East, Chief Uchenna Nwegbo, issued a press release calling “on all APGA faithful in Imo State to remain calm and unperturbed in view of the recent pronouncement of the Owerri High Court”.
The release dated 10th July, 2019, further said “meanwhile, the Hon. John Iwuala-led Caretaker Committee, set up by the National Working Committee (NWC) prior to the congresses of the party in Imo State, is hereby directed to oversee the activities of the party, in compliance with the STATUS QUO Ante Bellum directive of the Court”.
The second Order of Court also given by the Owerri High Court presided own by His Lordship Hon. Justice N.B. Ukoha, stopped the 6th defendant, Prince Henry Okafor, (Purported Chairman, Imo State APGA) and the 7th defendant, Pastor Alphonsus Eberendu (Purported Secretary, APGA, Imo State), from parading themselves as Exco members.
The second Order of Court read, “That the 6th and 7th defendants or any other person purportedly produced by the said congress purportedly held at the ward, local government and state level on the 19th, 21st and 23rd may, 2019 or any other date are hereby restrained from parading, presenting themselves or holding themselves out as elected Executives of the 1st Defendant party at the WARD, LOCAL GOVERNMENT OR STATE LEVEL, in Imo State pending the determination of the substantive suit”.
