Ahead of tomorrow national convention of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, strong indications have emerged that the forces that have turned the party into a business empire have upped their scheming to retain their hold on the soul of the party.
Meanwhile, not a few major stakeholders of the party are worried that the political merchants appear to be having their way.
The Anambra state governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo who is incidentally the national leader of the party is believed to have the final say on those who will make the list of the APGA national working committee, NWC, at the national convention holding in Awka, the Anambra state capital.
It is believed that Governor Soludo has been convinced to foist the incumbent national legal adviser of the party, Hon. Sly Ezeokenwa on the party as national chairman.
Ezeokenwa is also the incumbent Commissioner for Special Duties in Anambra State. A party source said that he is currently aged about 38, and, that Gov Soludo holds him high as one who has “absolute loyalty to him(Soludo) and the party (APGA)”.
The source further said: “But what we are worried about is that Sly Ezeokenwa as the legal adviser with the national youth leader of the party, Anselm from Enugu State were among the people the national chairman, Ozonkpu Victor Oye used in the extortion of aspirants for the party tickets in Imo, Abia and even here in Anambra State.
“Victor Oye as the national chairman of APGA has over 215 litigations he is grappling with from APGA members who have taken him and the NWC to the Court. Sly Ezeokenwa had his hands in all these. He was Oye’s errand boy”, the APGA stakeholders told our correspondent.
“Appointing Sly as national chairman of APGA will amount to hammering the nail harder down the coffin of APGA as a political party rather than seeking a way to rejuvenate, rebrand and restore the confidence of the grassroots to the party.
“What APGA needs now is someone who can restore the party back to its popular status when it was a households name in not only Anambra State, but, almost in all other states in South East zone, and, it is not a task that can be achieved by Sly who is known to be under the sponsorship of the out-going national chairman, Victor Oye, and, the House of Representatives member, Hon. Chinedu Obidigwe.
Meanwhile, about three people are known to have filed out for the national championship seat. They include the immediate past chairman of the party in Anambra state, Chief Nobert Obi; Hon. Sly Ezeokenwa and, Chief Titus Anagbogu.
For instance, a foundation member of APGA, and, former chairman of Onitsha south local government transition committee, Hon. Ugochukwu Ezeani decried that the party had currently lost its popularity as a household name, even in Anambra state.
He expressed strong fears that unless a new national leadership of the party that can take back the party to the grassroots is installed during tomorrow’s convention, the incumbent governor of Anambra state might find it impossible to win re-election under the party platform.
“People should tell our dear governor, His Excellency, Professor Chukwuma Soludo that the person needed now as national chairman of APGA is someone who has the capacity to rebrand the party; restore its popularity which has eroded the party since past years, especially under the current NWC”.
Our correspondent gathered that some concerned APGA members have even begun deft moves to enlist influential people who can drum it into Soludo’s ears that Sly Ezeokenwa will be a bad omen for the party as the national chairman.
Those mentioned to be approached include Catholic and Anglican clergies that are believed to have influence.
