The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has been told that it has a responsibility to comply with the clear judgement of the Supreme Court in line with its consequential orders as clearly spelt out in its enrolled order to recognize Chief Edozie Njoku as the authentic subsisting National Chairman of APGA.
Making the admonition he personally signed and made available to this newspaper on Friday in Abuja, yesterday, the founding national chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) Chief Chekwas Okorie noted that APGA is the second oldest political party in Nigeria today, adding that the party has immense untapped potential to deepen democracy in Nigeria.
He said that INEC has a responsibility to support APGA to grow and contribute to the growth of democracy in the country, saying that the commission has a responsibility to bring the 19-year leadership crisis in the party to a close by doing the needful.
In the statement that he titled, “APGA Leadership Crisis: Enough is enough,” Okorie went memory lane on how he founded the party and the origin of its 19 years old leadership crisis.
“I founded the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and it was officially registered by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on 22nd June 2002. This was after two previous failed attempts in 1996 and 1998, to found a truly progressive national political party that will principally address, promote and protect the welfare and interests of Nigeria’s diverse ethnic nationalities. APGA held so much promise and prospects in Nigeria’s democratic space.
“The party’s first participation in a general election in Nigeria in 2003 was phenomenal, in spite of the massive manipulation of the electoral process of that year by the ruling Peoples Democratic Party government, APGA came third out of 30 political parties that participated in that election. The party formed government in Anambra State. It won three Federal constituency seats in Anambra, Imo and Bayelsa States and States Assembly seats across the country. APGA was poised to consolidate its gains and record substantial victories in subsequent elections,” he said.