Concerned by the ugly situation where committed members of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) are leaving the party in droves to join other parties or stay to destabilize the party in the state and South East zonal levels, widow of the former National leader of APGA, Hon. Ambassador (Mrs) Bianca Ojukwu, has called on the National chairman of the party, Chief Victor Oye to resign. She stated this in a release captioned, “Refund and Resign, Oye Must Go”.
Mrs Ojukwu equally condemned the silence of major stakeholders and other principal officers of the party at both the state and National levels arguing that such grave yard silence in the face of atrocities perpetrated under Chief Victor Oye’s watch are troubling. This evil, she said, is subsisting because good men usually do nothing, adding that the principal stakeholders in APGA cannot continue to bury their heads in the sand like the proverbial ostrich, pretending that all is well in the party. “They cannot claim that they are not aware of the fact that our party is now suffering massive hemorrhage” she retorted. The attitude of the chairman according to Bianca Ojukwu, has greatly devalued and ridiculed APGA, before the world, not to mention the fact that our once iconic party anthem has been replaced with a new one which brands APGA, as a congregation of “Ndi Wayo”,….fraudsters and con men.
The widow of the defunct Biafran War Lord further cautioned against Victor Oyes resignation from office as canvassed, without paying restitution to those aspirants who were defrauded, by refunding their monies including the expression of interest and nomination fees, for which all the aspirants were compelled to pay huge sums of money.
“It is for this, and as a principal member of this party’s Board of Trustees, which by constitution is the moral conscience of the party, that I call on the National leader and Governor of Anambra State, Chief Willie Obiano to demand without further delay the immediate resignation, of the National chairman since anything less is a counter productive measure”.
The release further expressed confidence that the exit of Victor Oye, is the tonic required to restore the battered image of APGA and the confidence of members, and stem the massive exodus of members to other parties.
“By taking this long awaited action, our National Leader Chief Willie Obiano will demonstrate that neither does not supports nor condones the gross violations perpetuated during the sham primaries, and must not be seen as rewarding reprehensible behaviour.
It is sad that several weeks after the massive heist that took place in the name of primary elections in Anambra, and most especially in Imo State, there has been no meaningful attempt to genuinely address the grievances of aggrieved. What is so difficult in refunding money extorted from Aspirants? If our National Leader fails to insist on this imperative action, there is no doubt that the situation of this party will change from a search and rescue mission to a search and recovery mission.
I also call on the APGA Distinguished Board of Trustee members, including those who are Party candidates in the forthcoming general elections such as Sen. Chief (Sir) Victor Umeh, Dr Alex Otti, Alhaji Sani Shinkafi and others, to lend their voices to this call. We must call a spade a spade and redouble our efforts towards saving APGA.
Silence over the catastrophe that has befallen our party will not spare you the negative impact at the polls. These bad rashes will not go away unless they are treated….and the sooner, the better, the chance for APGA’s redemption, and ultimately, its survival”.
Speaking on the lingering conflicts, controversies and crises that reared their ugly heads during the ill-fated governorship primary election in Imo State, Distinguished Senator Ifeanyi Araraume who appears to be the greatest beneficiary of the unending disputes explained that he has made several overtures to some of the aggrieved persons. Rather than accept his olive branch, they are busy playing up the issue by claiming that they were insulted by Arararumes offer to refund their campaign expenses.
For instance, Araraume cited a hearty discussion he held with Chief Ikedi Ohakim who he addressed as his own brother and expressed optimism that Ohakim would support his candidacy. He promised not to relent until the party is united across board. It was however discovered that some of the former APGA aspirants who picked tickets of other parties are fueling the feud so as to benefit from it.
