By Juliana Nwachukwu :
The Mayor of Onitsha South Local Government Area, Anambra State, Chief Emeka Orji, has commended the National Chairman of All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) party, Chief Sly Ezeokenwa, over his victory against a self acclaimed factional leader of APGA, Chief Edozie Njoku, at Supreme Court Wednesday.
Making the commendation, Orji expressed satisfaction with the judgement, adding that it has laid to rest all issues over who is the national chairman of the party and advised Njoku that the will of the majority of the people will always prevail.
Orji described APGA as a mass Movement party that serves as vehicle that will lead the people to the promise land even as he described the victory as that of APGA and good people who believe in democracy.
According to him Gov. Chukwuma Soludo is not surprise with the victory because Gov. Soludo is so occupied with planning on how to move the state forward and can not condescend so low to look at a case that distract him from moving the state forward.
He, however, admitted that Gov. Soludo has been informed of the victory which according to him did not come as surprise as Njoku would not have won.
He commended the judges, APGA faithful and Stakeholders for their prayers for the victory and prayed that the party will continue to move forward.
Note that the Supreme Court has upheld an appeal by the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), recognising Sly Ezeokenwa as its National Chairman.
In a judgement on Wednesday, the court also awarded N20 million fine against Edozie Njoku for filing a frivolous suit at FCT High Court, Bwari.
A few days ago, the Federal High Court in Abuja restrained Njoku from parading himself as the national chairman of the party.
Justice James Omotosho, in a judgement, held that there was no valid court judgement or order, including a judgement from the Supreme Court, that recognised Mr Njoku as APGA National Chairman.
In the originating summons filed on 12 July, the plaintiffs sued the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and Mr Njoku as 1st and 2nd defendants.
They filed the suit following the removal of the names of Mr Ezeokenwa, a legal practitioner, and his executive officers from the INEC website, and the replacement of same by the names of the Njoku-led leadership of APGA by the electoral umpire on 9 July.
Delivering the judgment, Justice Omotosho held that INEC was wrong to have recognised the Njoku-led leadership of the party.
*Juliana is of the Ministry of Information, Anambra State