PRESIDENTIAL POLL: APGA ASKS COURT TO STOP BUHARI

•Says he didn’t show proof he’s a Nigerian 
•He lied he was public servant in 2011 
•Court urged to stop ‘sack Jega plot’
•INEC appeals judgment on YDP
There are indications, despite denials and assurances to the contrary, that the plot to either stop the March 28 and April 11 polls or ensure Professor Atahiru Jega is removed as chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), is indeed thickening.
Indications emerged at the weekend that the multi-faceted plot continued to unfold, and that it involved not just the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) but its sympathisers and collaborators in other political parties, the latest of which is the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).

APGA LEVIES GUBER ASPIRANTS $3M

• Demands N250m campaign expenses
• Candidates must have financial muscle, says party
All is not well in the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, over the huge amount the party has levied its gubernatorial aspirants for the 2015 general elections.
Reliable information available to Nigerian Pilot indicates that the party’s leadership has directed each governorship aspirant to pay a whopping sum of $3million (about N500million) and another sum of N250million before such aspirant could be cleared to contest the party’s primary election scheduled for next month.
This amount does not include cost of purchase of governorship form of N12 million, Expression of Interest form of N2 million and nomination form at N10 million by each of the aspirants.

APGA LAMBASTS APC OVER ‘GUERILLA’ TACTICS, WHIPS TINUBU FOR MAKING APC MEMBERSHIP COMPULSORY FOR LAGOS TRADERS

The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) this morning hit out hard at the All Progressives Congress (APC) for allegedly employing “guerilla style of registration” in its on-going membership drive.
APGA joined issues with APC National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for reportedly ordering, through his daughter, Folashade Tinubu-Ojo, whom he previously installed as the Iyaloja (President- General of Market Traders) of Lagos, that no trader would henceforth be allowed to operate in Lagos except on the production of an APC membership card.
Acting National Publicity Secretary of APGA, Mr. Stanley Chira, said in a statement that the party does not find it funny that a National party like APC “would condescend so low as to be using intimidation and blackmailing to gain membership.”
“It is absurd to note that APC LAGOS State through the leader SENATOR AHMED BOLA TINUBU instructed the daughter to implement such absurd policy. The Rivers State Governor, Mr Chibuike Amaechi, also warned Rivers State residents that they will not be allowed to use public health services (Hospitals) in the state without an APC Membership Registration Card,” Chira said.

FRESH CRISIS BREWS IN APGA OVER OBI, BIANCA

Another round of intra party crisis is brewing in the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) between supporters of the late Dim Emeka Odumegwu Ojukwu’s widow, Bianca and those supporting Governor Peter Obi over the leadership of the party.
It would be recalled that at a function in Enugu, a faction of APGA led by Maxi Okwu made Bianca the leader of the party while another faction led by Sir Victor Umeh in Awka recognised Obi as leader as well.
Ever since, both camps have been at each orders throat in attempt to take full control of the party.
According to Okwu at a function in February 16, 2013 where Board of Trustee (BOT) members like Tim Menakaya canvassed to make Peter Obi the leader of APGA which the governor turned down contending that even in death, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu remains the leader of our party.

APGA WON’T FIELD CANDIDATE AGAINST JONATHAN – OBI

In what seems a confirmation of an alleged unwritten understanding between Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the ruling All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in the just-concluded gubernatorial election in Anambra State, the state governor, Peter Obi, at the weekend said that his party would not field a candidate against President Goodluck Jonathan if he decides to stand for re-election in 2015.
Obi disclosed this in his first official statement after the supplementary election in Awka, while speaking with newsmen on the outcome of the gubernatorial election in the state, which was won by APGA’s candidate, Willie Obiano,
According to him, the decision of APGA not to field a presidential candidate against Jonathan in 2015 was sequel to his (Jonathan) neutral role in the Anambra State gubernatorial election.

UNOFFICIAL ANAMBRA GOVERNORSHIP POLL RESULTS: ALL PROGRESSIVES GRAND ALLIANCE (APGA) WINS IN 16 LGAS

The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) party is winning in at least 16 local governments area according to unofficial election results tallied by Independent National Election Commission officials.
According to INEC officials, APGA also did well in two other local governments despite the massive irregularities that occurred during the election.
INEC is holding off on full announcement of collated results until elections are concluded in 65 polling units in Obosi, Idemili North local government area by midday today.
The All Progressive Congress (APC) party is expected to come second with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) trailing in the third place while Labour Party (LP) will likely come fourth.
INEC is expected to officially announce the results later today in Awka the state capital where the agency would likely declare APGA candidate, Willie Obiano as “Governor -Elect” of Anambra State.
Source: SaharaReporters

IN A FLAWED PROCESS, ALL BETS ARE ON OBIANO

•Complaints galore over Anambra guber poll
•INEC orders fresh election in Obosi ward today
•APC demands election in four LGAs
There was a plethora of compl-aints Saturday in Anambra State as the people went to the polls to elect a new governor, who will succeed the incumbent, Mr. Peter Obi.
Despite this, All Progressives Grand Alliance candidate, Willie Obiano, looks poised to win the election.
Initial results from Anambra North and parts of Anambra South senatorial districts put Obiano ahead in the poll contested by 23 candidates representing 23 political parties.
But there is a complaints galore, as many fault the election process.

NATIONAL CONFAB: TINUBU WANTS NDIGBO TO CONTINUE IN SLAVERY –UMEH

•Says conference best decision by President
National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Victor Umeh, has said that the opposition to the proposed National Conference by the leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Bola Ahmed Tinubu, was borne out of his selfish interests and his determination to ensure that the Igbos continue to suffer marginalisation in Nigeria.
He stated that APGA and Ndigbo are fully in support of the proposed conference. But he however pointed out that the report of the conference should not be sent to the National
Assembly as proposed by President Goodluck Jonathan, but should rather be put through a referendum or plebiscite with the aim of creating a new Constitution for the country.

TELL IGBO ALL YOU KNOW ABOUT OJUKWU’S DEATH, APC TASKS VICTOR UMEH

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has challenged the National Chairman of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Victor Umeh, to release his much awaited bombshell on the circumstances leading to the heart attack and subsequent death of Ikemba Nnewi, Dim Emeka Ojukwu.
The party said during the last APGA crisis, Umeh had in an interview published in a national daily, warned Governor Peter Obi and Mrs Bianca Ojukwu to stop instigating his removal or else he would tell the whole world how Ojukwu died.
Umeh has however reconciled with Governor Obi, shortly after the Appeal Court Enugu quashed the judgment of an Enugu High Court, which sacked him as the National Chairman of APGA.

APGA TAGS OKOROCHA POLITICAL NOMAD, MAY ASK COURT TO REMOVE HIM

The All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) has dismissed Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State who was alleged to have defected to the All Progressive Congress (APC) as a political nomad and vowed to move against him as the party would ask the court to remove him from office having dumped APGA.
The party also described the eighteen out of the twenty two state chairmen who allegedly defected also as fake.
The National Secretary of the party, Alhaji Sani Shinkafi who addressed journalists in Abuja yesterday, said only party chairmen from Kogi, the Niger, Lagos, Cross River, and Taraba had left the party, adding that all the others mentioned in the publication were fake.

ANAMBRA: HOW APGA CRISIS ‘SHOT DOWN’ SOLUDO, OTHERS

• Aspirants Storm Abuja To Appeal ‘Verdict’ 
• Committee Illegal, Says Okwu
• How Membership Card From Rival Chairman Disqualified Aspirants
• Ukwa Denies Allegation
SIGNS that the protracted leadership crisis in the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) would negatively affect the forthcoming governorship election in Anambra State emerged after the party’s screening exercise in Abuja, where six aspirants, including former Central Bank Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, were disqualified.
Dissatisfied with the process, the affected aspirants, some of whom are already in Abuja, have vowed to appeal the “verdict” of the committee.
Although the screening committee, headed by Alhaji Tayo Sowunmi, gave varied reasons ranging from pending investigations by anti-corruption agencies to the aspirants’ lack of capacity to prosecute their ambition, the disqualification of Dr. Chike Obidigbo, on grounds of filing a party membership card signed by the rival national chairman, Maxi Okwu, suggests that the so-called reconciliation between Governor Peter Obi and Victor Umeh was a façade.

ANAMBRA GUBER: APGA DISQUALIFIES SOLUDO, FIVE OTHERS

Former governor of the Central bank of Nigeria (CBN), Prof. Chukwuma Soludo and five other aspirants have been disqualified from the November 16, 2013 governorship election in Anambra State by the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) Screening Committee.  In a statement issued yesterday by the chairman of the APGA Gubernatorial Screening Committee, Alhaji Tayo Sowunmi, secretary, Bar. Ifeanyi Mbaeri and a member, Chief Onwuka Ukwa, the party said at the conclusion of the panel’s sitting, the six aspirants failed to scale through its test.

The aspirants are Emmanuel Nweke, Ogbuefi Tony Nnaechetta, Chinedu Francis Idigo, Dr. Chike Obidigbo, the immediate past secretary to Anambra State Government Oseloka Obaze and Soludo.

APGA SUSPENDS OKOROCHA, DISSOLVES IMO CHAPTER

The All Progressive Grand Alliance has suspended Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State over alleged involvement in anti-party activities.
Rising from an emergency National Executive Council held on Saturday in Abuja, the party also dissolved its Imo State chapter and resolved to appoint a 21-man committee to oversee its affairs until a congress was done.
But when contacted, the former Special Assistant (Media) to Governor Okorocha, Mr. Ebere Uzouka, told SUNDAY PUNCHthat he was “no longer competent to comment on the issue because the governor has just dissolved his cabinet which affected all of us.”
The National Vice-Chairman of APGA (South-West), Tayo Sowunmi, who read out the communiqué of the NEC meeting, also said the party leaders discussed preparations for the Anambra gubernatorial election and approved guidelines for the exercise.

IGBOS SHOULD OSTRACIZE OKWU FOR CALLING OJUKWU ‘EXTRIMIST’ – UMEH

ENUGU—FOR describing the late Ikemba Nnewi, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu as an extremist, the National Chairman of the Peter Obi faction of All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, Chief Maxi Okwu, Wednesday, came under criticism with a call on him to immediately tender an apology to Igbos for trying to rub mud on the image and character of the former Biafran leader.

The party said should Okwu fail to tender apology to Ndigbo for daring to call Ojukwu an “Extrimist” he should be ostracized for showing disrespect to the late leader of the party.

Okwu had in his post-election speech at the convention of APGA in Awka, Anambra State last Monday, described Ojukwu as an extremist saying his leadership of the party would adopt non-extremists philosophy of the late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe.  He said that “political reality in Nigeria does not favour extremism.”

APGA DUMPS OJUKWU, ADOPTS ZIK’S PHILOSOPHY

The ALL Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) yesterday elected Chief Maxi Okwu as its National Chairman, alongside 27 other national Executive members.

Swiftly after his emergence, Okwu said the new APGA under his leadership would adopt what he called the non-extremist philosophy of the Late Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe.

He said, “the political reality in Nigeria does not favour extremism”.

I’VE NO REGRET PUSHING CHEKWAS OUT OF APGA –UMEH

…Asks Obi to also apologise to Ngige

Embattled national chairman of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), Sir Victor Umeh, has stated that he has no regrets for championing the cause of justice that saw former national chairman of the party Chief Chekwas Okorie out of the way.

Umeh, who was reacting to the recent apology tendered by the factional interim chairman of APGA, Maxi Okwu, to Chief Okorie, insisted that the former chairman of the party was sacked for betraying the mandate of APGA in the 2003 guber election in Anambra State.

Umeh dismissed Okorie’s advice that he should “repent and ask for forgiveness,” stressing that “the APGA leadership will never apologise to Okorie because it never did anything wrong to him; he was punished for his breach of the APGA Constitution by working against the party.

APGA CRISIS SPLITS OJUKWU’S FAMILY AS SON GETS BOT SLOT

Interim leadership fixes convention for April   

Umeh asks A’Court to reverse High Court’s order

The leadership crisis rocking the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has taken yet another dimension as two prominent members of the family of Chief Chukwuemeka Ojukwu, the late founder of the party, Ambassador Bianca Ojukwu and Chief Chukwuemeka Odimegwu Ojukwu (Jnr.) have been pitched against each other in opposing camps.

Eleven members of the National Working Committee (NWC), 35 state chairmen and 29 National Executive Committee (NEC) members of APGA loyal to the Chief Victor Umeh leadership, Wednesday appointed the son of the late leader of the party, Emeka Ojukwu as a member of the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT).

COURT SACKS UMEH AS APGA CHAIRMAN

An Enugu High Court, yesterday ordered Chief Victor Umeh to stop parading himself as the national chairman of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) on the ground that no valid national convention of the party has taken place since his tenure expired in 2010.

The court, presided over by the Chief Judge of Enugu State, Justice Innocent Umezulike, said Umeh’s stay in office after his tenure expired in 2010 was illegal, adding that it contravened some sections of the constitution of the party.

Umezulike further ruled that the purported national convention of the party, which took place  in 2011 at Awka, Anambra State and subsequently led to the re-election of Umeh as the national chairman of the party, also contravened the constitution of the party.