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Ojukwu wades into APGA crisis
Ojukwu wades into APGA crisis
VINCENT EGUNYANGA,
Abuja
THE
presidential candidate of All Progressives Grand Alliance in the 2003
presidential election Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu has waded into the crisis
rocking the party.
Dim Ojukwu who just came back from his
foreign trip on medical check up came back to meet a major crisis in APGA.
He has therefore called on the National
Chairman of the party Chief Chekwas Okorie to a meeting on the matter.
National Chairman of APGA Chief Chekwas
Okorie himself disclosed to Saturday Champion in Abuja Thursday night
that he was rushing down to Enugu to meet with Dim Ojukwu.
He said he has a meeting with the party’s
presidential candidate on the crisis rocking the party.,
It will be recalled that some members of
the National Working Committee (NWC) of APGA met in Abuja on Wednesday and
placed an indefinite suspension on the party’s National Chairman Chekwas Okorie.
Members of the National Working Committee
of the party who signed the suspension order include the National Secretary
Alhaji Sani Shinkafi, the National Treasurer, Chief Sir Victor Umeh; the
National Organising Secretary, Dr. Barrister Innocent Ekwu, the National Youth
leader of the party Dr. Mic Adams.
Others include the Deputy National
Publicity Secretary Alhaji Sadiqu Masata, Deputy National Financial Secretary,
Chief Chris Ndigwe; the Deputy National Women Leader, Mrs. Ella Nwubueze and the
Deputy National Treasurer, Alhaji Habib Gajo.
Various allegations ranging from
embezzlement, fraud and dictatorial tendencies were levelled against the party
boss.
Among the money allegedly embezzled by
Chief Okorie included Eleven million naira (N11m) grant given by the Independent
National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the period leading to the 2003 general
elections.
He was also said to have embezzled N50m
generated from nomination levies and the sale of nomination forms to aspirants
and candidates during the 2003 general elections which he is not able to account
for.
He is also said to have usurped the powers
of the party’s National Secretary and the Treasurer.
Chief Okorie is also said to have sold the
mandate given to APGA in Anambra to Governor Chris Ngige in making plans to
continue as governor of Anambra State under APGA if he is sacked or dropped from
the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
They reasoned that this is a stab on the
back of the party’s governorship candidate in the 2003 election Chief Peter Obi.
Chief Chekwas Okorie told Saturday
Champion that all the allegations are not true.
He said the members, who signed the
communique suspending him were funded from Aso Rock (meaning presidency).
He said his opponent had reported him to
the party’s presidential candidate Chukwuemeka Ojkwu and he had waded into the
crisis.
He accused President Obasanjo of been
behind the crisis. He also announced suspension of the new executive.
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