Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Abia State chapter, Prince Ukaegbu, has said former senate minority leader, Enyinnaya Abaribe and others, including the governorship candidate in Abia, may not contest the 2023 election on the party’s platform.
Abaribe dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), alleging irreconcilable differences arising from the party primary, for APGA, where he intends to contest the Abia South Zone Senatorial seat against Governor Okezie Ikpeazu.
Ukaegbu, who was reinstated as chairman of APGA in Abia by order of an Umuahia High Court and reaffirmed by the Court of Appeal, Owerri Zone, said anybody that went through the process of nomination for next year’s election under APGA and did not go through the legitimate officers of the party in the state which he represents, would not be eligible to contest the general election.
He likened new entrants into the party that were given tickets to contest election, to people who bought property from someone that was not a title holder of the property, and would at the end not take hold of the property.
He said as things stood, APGA has no validly nominated candidates in Abia State, including the governorship race, for next year, until he presents them to INEC.
“The fact remains that anybody that does not go through the process of nomination for elective positions in Abia APGA under my watch as state chairman and does not recognise me, as so doesn’t stand the chance of contesting the coming election.
Legal arguments are canvassed in court, they are not canvassed at Aba Motor Park, neither at Ubani Ibeku Market. If you feel I’m not the APGA State chairman, kindly go back to court and tell them that the court erred. But as of today, I remain the state chairman, and anybody who does not recognise me as such, surely is not going to contest next year’s election under APGA.
“That’s what the law says. APGA is a juristic person that acts through it’s officers. APGA is a legal entity, only recognised officers of APGA can take actions, receive and register people into the party, conduct primaries, nominate candidates on behalf of the party. APGA is not a no man’s land, APGA is not an all comers’ affair.
“Personally, Abaribe and some of those who crossed over to APGA are my friends; officially, they are not members of APGA. I don’t know them from the level of membership of APGA and I’m telling you without any form of equivocation, without any fear of being contradicted that they will not run election under APGA, they are not members of APGA.”